A single short question: Are your lunch breaks included in your working hours?

For me, when I work an eight hour shift, I'm actually at work for 8h45m, since I've got a 45m lunch break. I assumed this was how it worked all over, until a certain unnamed politician claimed that Sweden is the only place that does that. Any truth to that, or does he (as he tends to do) exagerrate and make up facts as he goes along?

And no, this is not a political discussion.

It's the norm for America. The law guarantees a 30 minute unpaid meal break for hourly workers for every shift of six hours or greater, but getting paid for it is extremely rare.

For eight hours I have the choice of two 15 minute breaks paid, or one 15 minute paid and one half hour unpaid. This being Canada though!

My old job was 8am - 4:30pm, two fifteen minute paid breaks and an hour paid lunch.

Should've made this into a poll... Anyway, it looks like he was (yet again) making things up. No surprise since he quoted "Workin' 9 to 5" by... whatever singer that was (yes, I'm lousy with names). Would be interesting to hear from another European too though, especially inside the EU.

I'm in a salaried position with an 8 hour work day + 1 hour unpaid lunch.

In reality, I just don't take lunch most days, so that I can still leave at a reasonable hour.

Kinda interesting.

For me, no. Regardless of what shift I work, I do not get a paid lunch break during my working time. For this quarter I am on 12 hour shifts, I eat when I can.

For eight hours in America we get two fifteens and the thirty, at least when I worked at the Deli.

I always get my lunch and bring it back to eat while I'm working....so I'm not sure how you would count that. heh

What Casilu said, though if you're Union you're probably "entitled" to an hour-long lunch (whether you want it or not).

I don't get any breaks, but I'm allowed to eat while working because of it, by law. This is Canada again, though.

I work 8 and a half hours every day except friday I work 6, I get 2 paid 15 min breaks 1 at 10 and 1 at 2:30 and an unpaid 30 min lunch break at 12. So I'm really at work for 9 hours a day.

EDIT: Er, what Casilu said too.

Since I'm a contractor, all my lunches and breaks are paid for!

Edit: But, if I work for in a place that doesn't get paid lunches...IE: Their workers have to work 8.5 and we need to inspect on their line..we get paid for all 8.5 hours, while they don't.

And some people get yelled at for not taking their break.

I probably don't count since labwork is so nonstandard, but my breaks (which are usually slipped in between experiment steps when I'd be waiting around anyways) are paid, I suppose. I certainly don't deduct them from my timecard.

Breaks are unpaid in Germany, too.

For me, if I've got an 8 hour shift, that really means an 8 hour shift + a 1 hour lunch. So 9 hours in total. Yes, your politician is a liar.

Well, Im expected to be at work for 8 hours each day Mon-Fri with some flexibility on start times (usually 10ish). Within that 8 hours I am allowed 1 hour for lunch. I have no idea if they consider that paid or not as it's a yearly salaried position that also comes with 28 days holiday + national holidays + 'efficiency days'. Public-sector FTW?

Right, probably should've clarified.

The American norm is eight paid hours per day, which means you're probably at work for 8.5-9 hours. Most people get two paid breaks of 10-15 minutes and 30-60 minutes for an unpaid lunch. There are exceptions to all of it except that, if you work at least six hours and you're FLSA-nonexempt (basically, an hourly worker), you get at least 30 minutes off in the middle of your shift.

I get an hour paid lunch and only have to work eight hours.

I worked almost 9 hours and I got two 15's, lucky. (By all rights, I was not supposed to stay past 8!)