Workers often look forward to their 30-minute or hour-long lunch break as a chance to relax and take a break from their busy day. Perhaps it’s time to eat and unwind after a long day of work, or perhaps it’s time to check in on social media or with family, or perhaps it’s time to read a book.
Despite the fact that employees are required to take a lunch break, they may choose to stay at the office and get things done. If your employer is taking money out of your paycheck for a lunch break that you aren’t getting or taking, they are breaking the law.
An employer may be cheating you out of wages if they make you work through your lunch break or force you to eat on the job. And there’s also the possibility that your boss is breaching the law.
A lunch break may be required by state law even when federal law doesn’t. (Before you assume your rights have been infringed or that you haven’t been paid what you’re owed, check the laws of your state.)
Talk to an attorney in phoenix who specialized in your type of case if you have particular questions regarding your rights and possible courses of action. It is wise to seek legal advice from an experienced lawyer about your case in order to learn more about your legal options.
While the federal government does not mandate payment for lunch breaks, it does provide that employees must be free from all tasks during this time. If, however, you are working through your lunch break and your superiors know about it, you should be compensated for the time.
No work should be done during your lunch break if that is required by your contract. If your salary is based on the number of hours you work, then you should be compensated for the time you spend working during lunch.
If you are routinely required to put in extra time during your lunch hour without pay, you may have a case for monetary damages. Additionally, your entitlement to benefits increases in proportion to the length of time you have spent working for the company in question. Someone making $15/hour would lose $75 per week if they weren’t compensated for their lunch break. This might amount to an extra $3,900 over the course of a year.
