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Potato_Octopi t1_irxt4lo wrote

Reply to comment by mrlolloran in Getting Paid Lunches in MA by stuartroelke

So, you'd be fine with a lower payrate but paid for the lunch hour (net same)? Or allow employers to not offer a lunch break?

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mrlolloran t1_irxtp08 wrote

If your goal is to payout the same net then why bother making the distinction of what you’re being paid for?

It should not be the same net, even if you get a slightly lower rate to compensate. I laid out why you should get paid for these breaks but wtf is the point if you effectively make the same? Even worse all of your overtime would be at the lower rate. That sounds like a shit deal to me.

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Potato_Octopi t1_irxtzml wrote

Are you working during the lunch break? If not then you're not generating anything for the business so why should you be paid more?

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mrlolloran t1_irxusz9 wrote

Then the lunch break should be long enough to actually leave and come back. Not everybody has an office. Not everybody goes to the same job site everyday.

Again opportunity cost: if I can’t leave (I, personally, include practicality and not just technically) then I need to be paid.

Contractors who bill by the hour can charge for getting stuck on a job site even if they’re in “hurry up and wait” mode and therefore not generating any work.

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Potato_Octopi t1_irxvtg7 wrote

Why do you need to be able to leave? What opportunity cost?

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mrlolloran t1_irxvylo wrote

Why does the employer need to know?

They don’t. All that matters is that they’re back on time.

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Potato_Octopi t1_irxwfn1 wrote

You'd have to ask your employer why they need to know. Sometimes it's just a courtesy so people aren't confused why you're leaving or when you'll be back.

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mrlolloran t1_irxx2dj wrote

It still doesn’t matter. I have MS asking me too specifically, and god forbid denying me, could be ADA violation.

If an employer doesn’t like it they can offer a fair salary and save themselves the headache. MA is still a right to work state so if your unhappy with their performance because they’re taking it too easy fire their ass. Although most employees like this are probably not coming back from breaks on time anyway so it’s 6 of one, half dozen of the other there.

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Potato_Octopi t1_irxxukk wrote

Not following what the ADA or anti union laws have to do with this discussion. Not aware of MA being a 'right to work' state either.

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mrlolloran t1_irxyk52 wrote

That was just an example and MA is a right to work state. People think Mass is super liberal and in a lot of ways we are but our employment laws are far from the most liberal/progressive in the country. It’s why this topics is being discussed like this instead of the other way around, as in: Why are we even forced to pay for lunch breaks?

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Potato_Octopi t1_irxyvv0 wrote

MA is not a right to work state. Are you thinking "at will employment"?

It sounds like you just want to get paid more and think "paid lunch" is some hot idea it isn't.

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stuartroelke OP t1_iry10y1 wrote

“Some hot idea”? I’m asking how I go about effectively advocating for change. If you don’t care about this—either because it doesn’t apply to your experience, or you don’t agree—then that’s your decision. But, you’re not going to sway me. I believe that employees—especially those with hourly wages—should get paid more. And lunch is not the same as free time. It’s built into work because it keeps employees working effectively (and safely)—especially manual laborers—and is time that aught to be compensated.

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Potato_Octopi t1_iry5ouh wrote

> I believe that employees—especially those with hourly wages—should get paid more.

But why not just advocate for that?

>And lunch is not the same as free time. It’s built into work because it keeps employees working effectively (and safely)—especially manual laborers—and is time that aught to be compensated.

And that argument is job specific. Office worker may be better off with some light snacking during the day. Lunch only became the norm with factory work.

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mrlolloran t1_iry1kp8 wrote

I’m not salary but I actually only work 8 hours a day. I don’t personally benefit from what I’m talking about.

I did confuse right to work with at will employee but tbh since you’re now casting aspersions at me let send one back.

You sound like the type of person who thinks paychecks are favor from employers and not something owed to employees. You want the deck stacked for the “job creators” and would be an awful person to work for.

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Potato_Octopi t1_iry5ztg wrote

If you want more pay just ask for that. I don't see why "paid lunch" is a compelling argument. You're not working, nor doing work prep. You're taking care of yourself just like breakfast, dinner or whatever. The fact that leaving the worksite can be inconvenient due to travel time is.. whatever.

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mrlolloran t1_iry6zzb wrote

If I want more pay I don’t need some random person Reddit to encourage me to ask for a raise. Or did you not understand when I said I would not benefit because I only work 8 hours a day and advocating for what you think is right for other people to get a foreign concept to you?

I work an 8 hour shift and my boss is laid back. I can go to the bathroom whenever the fuck I want without people counting the time it takes or the amount trips I make. I intermittent fast by choice so I don’t need a lunch break but he has offered to work something out if I ever do need a real break. I personally am fine, but that doesn’t mean that I think everybody should have to do things the way I do them.

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paganlobster t1_irzftnm wrote

The employee needs to eat to perform the labor. I’d say that’s directly related to the value they’re creating, which is always more than they’re actually paid anyway.

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Potato_Octopi t1_is2m4wh wrote

They also need to sleep and eat other meals during their life. You want to pay people to sleep too?

Cleaner to just ban lunch and start the shift later.

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stuartroelke OP t1_irxwr55 wrote

I keep typing this, and I don’t understand why nobody seems to understand. Just because you aren’t working doesn’t mean it’s free time. You are eating in order to remain an effective employee, therefore it is a part of working and should be compensated.

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Potato_Octopi t1_irxx7yv wrote

If the lunch break helps you be an effective employee then it's arguably already baked into your paycheck. But for the lunch break you'd be less effective, and so paid less.

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