New Hampshire Republicans Propose Bill To Eliminate Workers' Lunch Breaks | ThinkProgress

Blaze of Glory, Republicans. Blaze of Glory.

I feel like we are witnessing the death of a(nother) political party....

Unfortunately, I don't think there will be death to these people (not literal death). They seem to have more and more supporters for these strange ideas they come up with. These people are obviously out of touch with the reality of what goes on in the workplace. I can't believe they are that stupid. Perhaps if they would get out more they might learn something. They might try talking to people other than their rich GOP buddies.

The state representatives who have sponsored this bill must have never had to work for a living! Ironically, based on their girth, some of these representatives have never missed a lunch.

Chiming in as a NH worker, I welcome the change, and will explain why.

It may not fit every occupation, but for instance, working construction, or driving a dump truck, we were able to work through lunch, and eat "on the fly", which added 2 1/2 hrs of overtime, as no break, the meter keeps running!

Civilized people don't operate like that, like say receptionists, and many other occupations, but, I would prefer to stuff a sandwich down my throat while working and gaining time.

2 1/2hrs turns to ten extra OT hrs per month. It adds up.

I know these kooks have put out some really zaney ideas, but as a worker, I like this one.

Bore-head... I see your point.

I think it is a bit ironic that this will ultimately lead to the employers forcing their employees back to the lunch break so they don't have to pay overtime.

As a teacher, I neeeeed those 30 minutes of lunch break every day. That's all I get, 30 minutes, so it is needed to inhale my sandwich or lean cuisine and get my afternoon ready for teaching (copy papers etc...)

I see both sides. I would like to see if there was a compromise.... employees can sign a paper to work through their lunch and get to leave early or paid overtime etc... but otherwise we still get our mandatory lunch break perhaps?

ER, I doubt there will be rush to eliminate the lunch break, but this would allow employers the flexibility they don't have now.They must follow the law.

It really sucked when they started forcing us to break.

I worked a lot of twelves, and that extra 1/2 really adds up!

Like I said, its not applicable to every occupation, but I doubt the SAU's will be rushing to kill teachers lunch breaks!

Now, that 15 min coffe break............

Sadly, we don't get that coffee break either... we are doing recess duty... but hey... cant take away the coffee break!!!!

ELECT VERMIN SUPREME!

Isn't he the gum boot wearing guy that always runs in the New Hampshire presidential primary?

I want a free pony to go with my lunch and I think Mr. Supreme would deliver if elected.

I've worked for places that refused to give the 2 15s and half, while requiring the employees to be there for 8.5 hours. (only paying for the 8) If any employee were so bold as to think to take 2 15 minute breaks or their half hour lunch, they were docked a whole hour. Some of these places did allow eating at your desk, but you also had to keep working.

Yeah, try to complain. There's the door don't let it hit you. There are others lining up for the chance to even have a job.

Nothing but pipe dreaming if this idiot thinks companies will give breaks or lunch out of the goodness of their hearts. They are also full of @!$%# if they think taking it to social media or any other outlet is not going to result in the employee losing their job.

This is sad, I know that bore-head doesn't mind not having a lunch, but what about the diabetic that needs to rest and eat.... this is just another step closer to eliminating all workers rights... what is next child labor... oh wait there has already been talk of that from the republican presidential candidate. My grandfather worked hard to secure the rights that we have today, my father worked hard to maintain those laws.. Now the republican party wants to trash the work of millions of Americans.. for shame.

I thought this was a civilized society not a country of sweat-shops and wage slavery.

whatthetruth52

lol! I never missed a lunch. Lookin' at my waist line.......

Like I said, it's not conducive to every situation, but as I described, if you can eat your lunch on the fly, you make more money, and still get to eat.

The way the law is now, there is no latitude. You must take that lunch break.

I really don't believe it will eliminate lunch breaks. It may change the legality but to believe that any company's will stop lunch breaks is absurd.

I thought this was a civilized society not a country of sweat-shops and wage slavery.

If it's good enough for China.....

So by eating lunch on the "fly" you are just as productive as you are when you are not eating? Maybe in your job you can eat and work but when you are an office worker like me you can't. If I tried to eat and work my productivity would crash and I would basically be ripping off my employer by not performing my job duties to the best of my ability.

I am sure you don't think this way but that seems like stealing time to me. you work when you are scheduled and eat when you are not. to do both at the same time seems wrong to me. Just my opinion.... I would never allow anyone to eat and work at the same time, especially if I was paying them overtime...

I'm willing to bet that an office worker won't eat a sandwich like a truck driver!

Heck, I could'nt work in an office! I'd go nuts.

Have you ever noticed guys standing around on a road crew, and say to yourself, "look at them! Just standing there." as you drive by?

What appears as a bunch of bums standing around, picking their noses, it could be a timing, delay issue. The work is still happening, as there could be a guy in the hole doing a one man operation like digging around a pipe, or making a connection or god knows what. Everyone waits until he completes his task.

Standing there waiting? Suck down a sandwich. He finishes? He come out and swallows his sandwich, and the whole operation is a continuing steady flow, of which everyone makes out. Owner and the guys.

Sitting in the truck waiting to dump a load of sand? eat a sandwich.

Sitting in a back hoe waiting for something? eat.

I did say, its not for everyone.

Its easy to walk away from a computer, I'd guess, as you task alone, maybe.

I have never not given full value for my pay, by the way.

I have never not given full value for my pay, by the way.

Most all of us give full value for our pay. And I don't know anyone that gets paid for their half hour lunch break. You have to clock out. Yet there are still companies that insist that people eat at their desk AND work. Oh and many of these are sure to dock a half hour off your pay anyway.

What employee is going to complain in the economy, or in a 'right to work' state? You won't and they know it.

Most all of us give full value for our pay

Heh! I never accused anyone of anything less!

All Ive done is TRY to explain a different situation that works well in an environment you are not familiar with, maybe the exception being, sitting in traffic at a road job, wondering why it appears some guys are standing around.

Maybe I can explain this in my unknown office jargon.

Flexible multitasking.

There is one little detail I did not mention.

If you get rained out for a day. You don't get paid for the day. You eat the loss.

So instead of thirty two hours, you'd at least make up two hours, and end up with thirty four for the week. Which is better than thirty two!

So giving "full value" is eating on the job? Sorry, but many places, including these roadside crews dock the half hour (or hour as the case may be) lunch break whether or not you clock out.

As for road crews, there is no clock, the half hour lunch is assumed taken and the time docked. Snarfing down lunch while working simply gives the company a FREE half hour worth of work. To me that's right up there with stealing from the company, only in reverse. I've worked a few companies that "steal" time from employees.

Thank you for reading

There is one little detail I did not mention.

If you get rained out for a day. You don't get paid for the day. You eat the loss.

So instead of thirty two hours, you'd at least make up two hours, and end up with thirty four for the week. Which is better than thirty two!

Sorry, but many places, including these roadside crews dock the half hour (or hour as the case may be) lunch break whether or not you clock out.

Hour for lunch for a road crew??? Heh heh heh. Forget it.

You know all about it. I have only offered you information, and a point of view of something you appear to know nothing about.

Some people really miss the eight hours they lose from bad weather.

Heck, it could even rain three days. 21 hrs lost from your weekly check.

The only time anything like that would effect you is if the fire sprinkler ruptured, and they sent you home for the day.

Would they still pay you? or would you take home 32 hrs pay for the week.

You can have the last word. See ya.

Must be pretty hard rain to keep road crews from working. I've watched the ones around here work in all types of weather. I've also seen road crews in my home state do the same.

They all break for lunch at the same time, (around here). If the weather is good, they send someone down to Subway or one of the other local eateries to pick something up. If the weather is bad, they all head down together and eat inside.

Are all road crews or their companies like that? I wouldn't know. Just know about the particular crews and companies I happen know.

Here again, there are no typical situations.

A deep sewer crew is different than a paving crew, and here are so many variables to consider. A gas crew is different than a water crew.

If you work in a development building houses and roads, and digging foundations, taking a regular lunch break is no big deal. Its easy enough to do, because there is no preasure like in the street.

I live in New England. The season lasts around ten months. Variables like weather, scheduling, holidays, stuff like that, cut into your time. You want to make as much as you can, while you can. If you lose two weeks pay because of these issues, it hurts.

These jobs usually offer 5 holidays per year, and if you accumulate vacation time, they ask you to schedule it in the slow season. Like lay off time. There is generally no sick leave. or other benefits. Little things mean a lot, like having a boss that will let you make up time.

The law makes them demand that you stop for lunch, even if you want to work through. The law prevents you from making up the time.

I know these t-nuts in New Hampshire have been getting a lot of justified attention with the over the top stuff they have been trying to legislate, and the birth-er crap, and I'm embarrassed to say they are mine. Maybe they don't realize its gonna help some people.

It won't hurt a receptionist in a doctors office. God knows the Dr won't miss his lunch either.

If we still had factory's and shoe shops, I could see a group that could be hurt, but like everywhere else, we don't have many left.

So we do away with lunch breaks, because the law says we don't have to have them any longer. Are people going to be paid 2 1/2 hours overtime each week or are business going to close up a half hour earlier do you think? I honestly don't see either one happening.

No ones gonna lose their lunch break. The businesses would never get away with it.

Could you imagine the outrage?

I sure would like the flexability to make up lost time, or gain a little.

This T-Party crap is short lived, and besides, the Governor will veto it.