Employment rules and regs help please

Do employees have any rights to request/demand entertainment facilities in their canteen when they are forced to spend their breaks in it?

 

Not as far as I know...

Only have a right to catering facilities...eg Fridge and Kettle and Water

 

No.....sorry mate. No rights to anything like that.

 

in that case

do employees have a right to spend unpaid breaks (dinner hour) outside their place of work or is it ok for the employer to inist that breaks are spent in the canteen?

 

Unless there are genuine reasons

such as Health & Safety related, I can't see an emplyer being able to force staff to stay on the premises, unless there clauses about business need etc

 

RE: in that case

There is no right to insist employees stay on the premises. But the length of paid breaks means employees have litle option but to stay on premises or venture only a short distance from the premises.

 

RE: in that case

we have a full dinner hour but are not allowed to leave the building as we cannot be trusted not to steal stuff on our breaks apparently.

Other branches of our company have facilities in their canteens but we have nothing despite the official company line being that money from the 'petty cash' CAN be used for such things. Our branch manager has decided this wont happen.

 

RE: in that case

U have a paid dinner hour? Thats very generous of your employer. As far as Im aware your employer has no right to restrict u from leaving. I suggest you either speak to your union, or take offical advice from the citizens advice bureau. Im sure if u look in net u can email them and they be willing to offer advice.

 

sorry for the confusion

we have an unpaid dinner break of one hour that we have to take (ie we cant work through and finish early) yet we are not allowed to leave the building despite being on 'our own time'.

I'll look for the CAB and email them.

 

RE: sorry for the confusion

Yeh I dont think they can do that matey. I've studied some employment law...but dont practice it. But I think you will find they can't do that. Some employers seem to think they can do anything and these days most employees go along with it as they think they have no other option! You get some proper advice mate...let us know what happens.

 

RE: sorry for the confusion

If it's your time, there is nothing that the employer can do to keep you on site unless your contract states you are entitled to a daily lunch hour but must stay on the premises.

Check your contract small print. If there's nothing there about leaving the premises during lunch hour, your company can't enforce the rule.

CAB are volunteers nad would probably advise the same. Just 'tip off' the local rag but insist on being a unnamed internal source. No company likes bad press.