Cutting costs is understandable for a for-profit business, but at the expense of a worker’s lunch? You might say, “Say it ain’t so,” but an employee in Minnesota is having their lunchtime taken away from them just so their company can cut back on paying overtime. In their Reddit post on the matter, they state that “one of the ways they’re doing this is by having us stay off the clock for lunch until we arrive to our next stop.” In other words, management is forcing the worker to sacrifice their lunch to drive 30 minutes to the next customer’s house.
Needless to say, no one in the comment section believes the company is in the right. Not only should this be considered insensitive and borderline abusive to workers, but the top commenter states that it’s “theft of time.” “The department of labor loves to hear about it!” they remark. Continuing, they warn OP and others reading the post: “Never work for free and never never operate company equipment off the clock, and yes, a company vehicle counts!” Almost half a thousand people upvote in agreement.
The Company Might Be Doing More Harm Than Just Stealing Lunch Break
Another commenter points out how the company might also be attempting to avoid paying insurance on any mishaps or accidents that happen while the worker is technically not on the clock. That, in turn, would leave them responsible for repairs or medical bills, or as the commenter puts it, the company’s repairs and medical bills, as it should be the one paying. “So not only is it time theft, it opens you up to potentially life-shattering lawsuits,” they conclude.
Replying to a comment, OP explains that they have to report any accidents that occur. “But if I’m on my personal time, why am I required to drive to my next stop for free?” they grumble. Some Reddit users suggest that maybe OP could “eat lunch, clock in, [then] drive to next location.” Likewise, they could “go to your next stop, THEN eat lunch.” Still, this doesn’t change the fact that the employer is robbing them of their lunch break.
Hopefully, the employee files a complaint with HR on the matter or with their local labor department board. Otherwise, finding a new job might be in question if management cares that little about their workers.
