Lunch break

[BIG DAD]

My boss said if i am sat at my desk during my lunch break i have to answer the phone. can he make us do this?

[spaced]

no. I was told that by my boss. So I just go out during my lunch. But no, they cannot make you do that during your lunch.

[BIG DAD]

spaced Thanks for your answer, G4GS, are you saying you expect your staff to work for nothing to further their career?

[pingping]

European directives enforce a minimum of 20 mins lunch break per day. if you work for a small company, this is harder to ensure you get that in a big company who are scared of law suits! just eat your lunch elsewhere (or transfer your phone to answer phone for the duration of your lunch - what your boss doesn't know won't hurt him!!)

G4GS: why is having a lunch break not wanting to pursue a career? hardly a sackable offence. I'm glad you're not my line manager.

[Finance Guy]

Hi there, It sounds like you work for a smaller firm and maybe your boss is expecting of you what he would do himself perhaps?

Either way, you do not have an obligation to answer the phones but I would not hesitate personally, if nobody else was available - thats just being a team player really and preventing a potential customer form getting no answer - terrible for business!.

It may be that he is discouraging you from sitting at your desk while 'having lunch' as this can have the impact of making others around you ease off a bit perhaps? Just a thought.

Either way, I think it is a good career move to be the team player and a bad move to start quoting your human rights, etc, over something so minor and with reasonable viewpoints on both sides.

Hope that helps a bit, good luck