Working through lunch, not getting paid for it

Hey guys, just found the site, think it's great. I am currently an MT who thinks I won't make it past the nine month threshold I heard so much about, but that's another post. The reason I am posting is because sometimes my branch manager makes me and the other people in the branch work through lunch. I don't mind working through lunch if I get paid for it, but I don't. The manager usually buys us all a crappy lunch (usually without asking us if we want to eat in), we eat it for 15 minutes at the most in the break-room, and then usually have to work the other 45 minutes of our lunch because some customer comes in, someone needs a pick-up, the phone rings, etc. etc.. At first I was adding the 45 minutes to the end of my day thinking it was the only fair thing to do considering we are forced to clock out one hour for lunch even if we did not take a full hour. But then I noticed my branch manager taking my hours down the day after I imputed them. I called him on it and he stated if I left at certain time, I have to clock out at that time. I told him I thought it wasn't fair since I don't take a full hour for lunch but have to clock out for one. He said it was Enterprise's policy that if the branch buys the employee lunch, then that is the same as taking an hour. I bit my lip and walked away but wanted to say:

"WHAT KIND OF BULLSH!T POLICY IS THAT!?! FIRST OF ALL THAT IS HIGHLY ILLEGAL IN THIS FREAKING STATE. IT'S BAD ENOUGH I HAVE TO WORK A TEN HOUR DAY BUT I HAVE TO WORK AN ELEVEN HOUR ONE AND GET PAID FOR TEN. WITH THE CRAP WAGES WE GET HERE ALL THE EXTRA HOURS COUNT. I MAKE THE SAME AS MY STONER FRIEND FROM HIGH SCHOOL WHO WORKS AT FRY'S AND YOU CAN'T GIVE ME ONE MORE FREAKIN HOUR BECAUSE YOU BOUGHT ME A COMBO MEAL FROM JACK IN THE BOX THAT I NEVER FREAKIN ASKED FOR. GO F#CK YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Seriously, who can I complain to? My branch manager basically told me (in his own way) that complaining about things like this doesn't make me seem like a team player. The area manager? I'm afraid if I go to him, he'll just tell my branch manager and he'll give me a hard time. I'm think about going to the higher-ups at admin. Any advice?

I thinking about post on the Stage 3 section of these boards from now on.;)

Believe it or not, approaching you BM has already hurt your chances of promotion in this company. In their eyes you're complaining and "not part of the team." Also keep that in mind if you talk with HR about it you'll probably get your hours back, but it will come with the ERAC version of career suicide.

I'd do two things immediately:

1) Don't clock out for lunches you don't get. After you input the hours you work in RALPH, hit the print screen button and document what you just entered. If management wants to take away a lunch you don't get, let them be the ones to change it, then print out any changes they have made. Repeat this every week it happens to you and have these somewhere at home in the event you want to pursue this once you leave ERAC.

2) When you do get a lunch, LEAVE THE BRANCH.
Seriously- in this environment, you need some time to just refocus, and it's not going to happen if you stick around as it looks like you've learned. Just keep in mind that management will probably be pissed off when you do this (see career suicide above), but I wouldn't even mention it. Just leave as soon as you start your break.

Lastly, even if it is a "policy" of theirs to exchange pizza for hours worked, it's not exactly legal.

Good luck with all of this. Most of us have been in your shoes before and it sucks. Let us know how it works out.

and don't forget when you leave the branch to leave your mobile phone there and take your personal car, that way they cannot and have no right to ask you to "pick up Mr Dickwad on your way back."

There used to be a generic ms01 employee number that you could use to send a message straight to corporate that dealt with employee concerns of ethical business practices etc.

If you are forced to stay in every day, eat for 15 minutes and your BM dings you for an hour lunch that is total BS!

Tell him/her that team play includes taking care of your employees so that they actually want to come to work in the morning.

Someone remind me what the mso1 to use was..... or send a note straight to your VP/General Manager. (don't come across whiny, be straight forward.) I am pretty sure this will get some results.

this is common practice at ERAC take one for the team etc a quick mso1 to your City manager should do the trick and get your BM a good roasting. these free lunch tactics usally only work with car preps but if you only have a 10 minute break make sure you document 10 minutes that way when you crash your car on the way home through lack of food and being tatally exhausted after working an 11 hour shift with no break then your loved ones can sue Jack and Andys ass for a zillion dollars !! YEAH ERAC ROCKS

I have been there - done that. Next time the branch buys lunch what you should do is insist on paying for your own - and staying clocked in.

I use to get my hours changed for lunches I never even took. Not 15 minutes, no real food, nothing. But I was always clocked out for an hour no matter what. Just one of the many reasons I left.

I use to be a casualty of this practice also when I was an MT/MA. Fortunately, our HR Dept. put the hammer down on this. Ethically, the company is required to have truth in reporting, ie; clocking you in for when you are, and clocking you out for when you are not at work. I am a BM now and could not imagine doing this to any of my employees. Besides, it is against the law in pretty much any state for ANYONE to alter your timecard WITHOUT your approval. One call to HR or to your state's L&I office will put a quick end to this practice in your branch. I recommend going to your HR supervisor first, not your AM, AM's are pretty much useless. Your BM cannot make you work through your lunch, and they HAVE to keep you clocked in if you do. DO NOT accept anything less. We are expected to do a lot for the best interest of the branch and the company; long hours, after hours, before hours-do not let yourself get cheated out of lunchbreaks.

You could be an assistant manager who never gets a lunch. I hated being an ass. man. It's the worst position to be in at ECRAP. You only got a free 15 minute lunch. Boo hoo. Most of the week, you do get your hour lunch. Try being an ass. man. When I was in that position, I'd give my car preps money to get me some crap fast food. On a good day, I'd get two, maybe three bites of hot food. Then thru the course of the next four hours, be able to finish my cold soggy fries. No wonder why ERAC lost a class action suit regarding pay of ass. managers.

This was typical in GP32. When I was a BM, I forced my assistant to leave for an hour otherwise, he'd be screwed. Most assistants weren't that lucky.

OMG you are kidding right??? You are crying foul because you don't get lunch.....Geeezusss age christ what a baby you are. Deal with it or leave. You made the choice to be here no make the choice to leave you whinny little baby. Hurry up so we can bring in the next pion to replace you. You have proven that you are worhtless. That is how we keep our pay so low because people like you complain about the baby things and we just weed people like you out and bring in the new. Only the strong survive thru the ranks to make something of themselves. Don't forget to complain about the washing of cars in your suit, or too many hours.....oh wait you did the hours thing. You are pathetic. Cry me a river Sally.