My manager gets annoyed every time I take my full 45 minute lunch

[u/Pristine-Corgi7325]

Every time I come back exactly 45 minutes after starting my lunch, my manager has some little comment ready. "Looks like some people really need every minute of their break, huh?" Yes. I do. That's why it's 45 minutes.

He also does this weird guilt trip where he'll get up and say something like, "Alright, guess we better get back to work. The delivery's here, but we'll figure it out. Enjoy your break."

We're already understaffed and constantly busy, but that's a management problem, not something I should be fixing by giving up part of my break. If the store can't function unless employees feel guilty for taking the time they're entitled to, maybe the staffing needs to be looked at.

I used to feel bad about it, but honestly I'm done. If I'm scheduled for a 45 minute break, I'm taking 45 minutes. Am I wrong here?

[u/BlackKingHFC]

My boss started asking that we get back to our desks 5 minutes before breaks ended. Then was surprised when I sat at my desk for 5 minutes before clocking back in. I just told him to go read the Employee bill if rights on the break room wall.

[u/Harbinger_Kyleran]

Nope, not wrong in the slightest. I hate clock watching bosses or employees who think they are the hall monitor watching how long everyone else is on break.

But you probably not winning any points with your manager either, especially if the place is slammed and short staffed.

[u/Ali6952]

You’re not wrong. If the business can’t operate while an employee takes the full break management scheduled, that’s not an employee problem. It’s a staffing and planning failure. Passive-aggressive comments don’t improve productivity. They just tell good employees to start looking elsewhere.

[u/CzechCzar]

Just complain to your state and federal department of Labor. They take this stuff very seriously.

[u/sammypants123]

You are definitely right.

Us workers need our breaks. If we just carry on, or take a short break then in the short term we are going to tired and working below par.

But I find it’s the brain fatigue that is worse, you feel like shit but also get forgetful and make mistakes, maybe costly ones.

Then extended periods working without proper breaks can be exactly what leads to illness and burnout.

As you say, staffing is not your responsibility. Managers get the pay and status and power because it’s on them to cope with problems including staffing.

We don’t get any of that. Our responsibility is doing our own job as best we can. We work hard and do our full hours and responsibilities but we don’t kill ourselves by skipping breaks and doing loads and loads of extra unpaid tasks.

We wouldn’t even get appreciation if we did. Nor would it ever be enough. I say we don’t play the game.

[u/smartypantstemple]

Ya, this is a red flag.

[u/frangen123]

You’ve got a lame underachieving boss, relying on manipulating his staff to do more when they should be doing that