Isn't this illegal? (my new job)

[CityBoyGoneCountry]

I don't complain at work. I do what I'm told to do, and I keep my mouth shut, and I earn every damn penny I make. Then I go home and vent my true feelings on the internet where I am not in danger of losing my job.

I applied for dozens of jobs at dozens of companies. This is the one that hired me. I, too, have bills to pay. So I took the job I could get. Your notion of only accepting the perfect job is a nice fantasy, but not applicable in the real world.

I know it's hard to start a business. I'm trying to do it. Besides being a welder for 40 hours a week, I'm also a farmer. I'm trying to start a plant nursery. I'm not getting any help from the bank. I'm not getting any help from family or friends. I'm doing everything on my own. I work real fuckin hard, and I'm sick and tired of people saying if you're not rich it's because you're lazy.

All I'm asking for is 15 fuckin minutes to sit down. Is that so unreasonable?

[S.P.Q.R.]

woah woah wait, it's illegal to NOT give you breaks?.. I feel used now

Here's my schedule;

10am start work
8pm end work

No breaks at all.. none of us there get them.

Also, don't know if this is important but it's not a union job.

[suhl]

i think it varies from state to state but legally they just need to give a half hour break for every 8 hours worked here

[bruce]

i agree u should get an hour a day when u work over 8 hours. i've always worked long days n thats th way it goes. 1 half hour n 2 15 min breaks.

[Cyclonite]

The people to talk to would be the labor board.

[tootsie roll]

That sounds hard, CityBoy. I applaud you for doing that sort of work and enduring that. I wish you were able to take the breaks you're entitled to, too, for your safety and health. I think I remember reading that U.S. Department of Labor guidelines say pretty much exactly what Tootsie said earlier: Employers are supposed to provide a lunch break of 30 minutes or more--and a 10-minute break additionally for every four hours you work. Those guidelines, if I'm not mistaken, are applicable to employers/businesses of more than a certain size, but I'm not sure what that size is. The thinking is that, say, a small four-man firm couldn't afford always to go by those DoL guidelines and stay afloat.

As is mostly the case in the U.S., employers can really do whatever they want, especially in a so-called Right to Work state (as opposed to a union-stronghold state). There's not really any enforcement of DoL standards. So employers don't really have to fear not giving employees their proper due of break and lunch time. The only danger would be if an employee filed a complaint with the DoL, which is a fairly common occurrence. Employers can sometimes be fined or forced to pay employees for that over-worked past time. Still, an official complaint often ends up getting the complainant fired in the end. Or at least targeted as a troublemaker till he leaves on his own.

The subject of time on and time off interests me, both as a former corporate professional and as a future doctor. I know they're starting to set more limits about on-duty time for interns and residents as a matter of patient safety, and so I'm hoping the 36-hours on-duty-time followed by only 12 or, at the max, 24 hours off will be a thing of the past by the time I get to that point.

Good luck with your job, CityBoy!

Once you finish med school and begin your adventure, you won't be getting many breaks either. Remember to always load your locker with goodies.
Yup 36 on/ 12off.....what fun. oy
Hey, how does The UofI at Chicago sound to ya?

[tootsie roll]

It's not a small company I work for. In fact, I work for 2 companies. The building I am in has about 50 employees, and we are a division of an even larger company. We build trailers that can sell for up to $30,000 each, and we push out about 10 a day.

It's pure greed that prevents them from giving us a break, not necessity. The boss spends all day sitting in the office counting his money.

Well hells bells "Country boy", is there a Union involved there? If not, you guys can initiate one.
Unions Rawk! Hubby is Union and it's teriffic!:thumbsup:

[JohhnyPotSmoker]

The Law States every 4 hours of workin the employer MUST give their employes working a 30 minutes break, or at least thats what i was told by my boss

[tootsie roll]

The Law States every 4 hours of workin the employer MUST give their employes working a 30 minutes break, or at least thats what i was told by my boss

Yep and that's why for every 8 hour day a worker should get 2-15 minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch.
That works out to 30 minutes every 4 hours.

[Unregistered Felon]

First of all, let me just say, I DO NOT have any intentions of quitting my job, no matter how bullshit it is, because I need the money and it's the best paying job I've ever had in my life.

But check this out...

I work 10 hour days. I get 30 minutes for lunch, and a 10 minute break in the afternoon, and that's it. This is my schedule:

7:00 a.m. - start work
11:15 a.m. - 30 minute lunch
3:00 p.m. - 10 minute break
5:30 p.m. - end work

Is this, or is this not, bullshit?

Dude O.S.H.A. requires that you get 2 15 minute breaks and 1 30 minute break everyday....

That the law nationwide in the U.S.

Having said that I wouldn't say a thing to the boss or anyone else..

I worked for an asshole like that he only let us have 1 30 minute lunch break daily..

I would just drop my tools and take a "15 minute shit" everyday at 10 am and another at 2 pm..

They can't fire ya for being "regular"

Good luck..

Felon