Do you start your lunch break when you arrive, or start driving, to your break destination?

[UnionStrong]

When I was in delivery there was a guy who would have his wife call in sick for him.
"This is Joe S's wife, my husband isn't feeling well and won't be in today"
I thought it was hysterical, the center manager not so much.

Disgraceful

 

[BrownFlush]

I always hit the button when my feet hit the parking lot where ever I was going to eat.

 

[UnionStrong]

I always hit the button when my feet hit the parking lot where ever I was going to eat.

If I’m driving, I’m working. If I’m working I’m on the clock. If I’m on the clock I’m not on break. I’ve explained it to a few new supes over the years.

 

[Wally]

I had an on car ride with me the other day and told me I need to clock into break as soon as I start driving to wherever I’m gonna take break. I’ve had older drivers tell me they clock into break only when they arrive at their break destination. Which one is the official way to do it?

Since you can't take break in the middle of a highway, it would seem reasonable to me that break starts a mile or so from that point.

 

[AKCoverMan]

But it is company policy.

I‘ve never seen the sheet of paper you sent pic of and I don’t think that makes it policy… any center manager with a word processor could make up a form like that and stick it in front of your face. I would not sign that form.

 

[UnionStrong]

I‘ve never seen the sheet of paper you sent pic of and I don’t think that makes it policy… any center manager with a word processor could make up a form like that and stick it in front of your face. I would not sign that form.

You Alaskans sure are a stubborn lot…

 

[AKCoverMan]

You Alaskans sure are a stubborn lot…

True…but I mean we can see Russia from our backyard!

 

[zubenelgenubi]

I‘ve never seen the sheet of paper you sent pic of and I don’t think that makes it policy… any center manager with a word processor could make up a form like that and stick it in front of your face. I would not sign that form.

What do you think makes something a company policy? Should I e-mail that pic to Carol and ask her?

As far as the courts are concerned, company policy is what the company does, not what's written on a piece of paper. If what the company does is against the law, they risk facing the consequences.

What I like is how everyone here says work as directed, grieve later, but then also say things like "never sign anything", "don't work through your break", etc. So which is it? Work as directed even if the directions are illegal or violate the contract, or ignore illegal/contract violating directions?

 

[Son of ORION]

What do you think makes something a company policy? Should I e-mail that pic to Carol and ask her?

As far as the courts are concerned, company policy is what the company does, not what's written on a piece of paper. If what the company does is against the law, they risk facing the consequences.

What I like is how everyone here says work as directed, grieve later, but then also say things like "never sign anything", "don't work through your break", etc. So which is it? Work as directed even if the directions are illegal or violate the contract, or ignore illegal/contract violating directions? Let’s say it’s end with something like…. better than “work as directed” is “read your ing contract” .

 

[OrionIsDaddy]

Your supervisor is a liar. It is illegal to operate the vehicle if you are not getting paid. Don’t ever do any work while punched out. Including, and especially, driving and/or sorting packages. The two rules to live by while on the lunch/break are......

1: Don’t drive
2: Don’t touch packages


It’s that simple! Anyone who does either or both of those are typically cowards or selfish runner and gunners.

Definitely not illegal.

I don't disagree with your point but you are saying something is illegal when it is definitely not.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

Definitely not illegal.

I don't disagree with your point but you are saying something is illegal when it is definitely not.

It is illegal for a company not to pay you while you perform work for them. It's called wage theft.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Definitely not illegal.

I don't disagree with your point but you are saying something is illegal when it is definitely not.

It is, in fact, illegal to force someone to work for free.

 

[olroadbeech]

I had an on car ride with me the other day and told me I need to clock into break as soon as I start driving to wherever I’m gonna take break. I’ve had older drivers tell me they clock into break only when they arrive at their break destination. Which one is the official way to do it?

short answer
your on road is an idiot.

yes I know this is an old thread but this question comes up a lot.

fuh

 

[OrionIsDaddy]

It is, in fact, illegal to force someone to work for free.

Nobody is forcing you to drive to your lunch spot. Read the post he quoted originally.

I'd say driving away from your delivery area still on the clock would be closer to wage theft. It's not illegal to clock out and drive to lunch....which is what he said

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Nobody is forcing you to drive to your lunch spot. Read the post he quoted originally.

I'd say driving away from your delivery area still on the clock would be closer to wage theft. It's not illegal to clock out and drive to lunch....which is what he said

We are entitled to be paid for all work performed He was instructed (forced) to drive a vehicle while not being paid. Not asked to. That is wage theft. The discusion pertained to package. Not feeders.

 

[Dr.Brownz]

The point I was trying to make is that company policy does indeed say that personal time starts when you break trace. The person I was responding to didn't believe me. The purpose behind the whole conversation was getting to the justification for ignoring the policy, especially if I am to advise other members that they don't have to follow it.

The same people who tell us to work as directed also tell us we don't have to sign anything and our break starts when we stop our package car. But I still don't think I've ever gotten an answer as to what to say if a member ever were to get in trouble for not starting their break when they break trace. I just want to know how to best represent members.

UPS management lie all the time

 

[AKCoverMan]

So we should be able to drive to a reasonable place on area with facilities and still have full break or lunch once the wheels and the work stops. Here it says “on area” and we have gotten into some debates about how far and how long you should drive.…my break spot is right in trace so no issues. But my route 80-100 miles a day and not in circles so contractually I could argue that I should be able to drive across my area to lunch spot and add 20 mins or more one way to my paid day.

 

[Poop Head]

It's not illegal to clock out and drive to lunch....which is what he said

Talk to a steward or BA about what the agreed on distance off trace youre allowed to go before discipline.
Youre prob right though, prob not ILLEGAL, but youll def be in a world of if you wreck the truck while your punched out on lunch.

 

[some1else]

this topic of when lunch begins comes up periodically. I prefer to be reasonable and to be treated reasonably. Telling a truck driver they have to drive a truck on their break is not reasonable. I don’t think driving 20 miles round trip to use a bathroom on a rural route (which osha regulation entitles me to) several times a day is reasonable either. But we can do that (and have) until reasonableness is restored.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

UPS management lie all the time

I don't recall a single conversation I've ever had with management where I wasn't lied to.