# Expressing your power? No, you're being petty (work related) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 18, 2005, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965 "2005-07-18T12:50:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/21 "2005-07-18T16:44:56Z")
How long is your shift? If you don’t get to eat until seven hours into your shift, doesn’t that mean you’re going home in an hour anyway? I ditto getting to HR. If they don’t have enough people to cover the phones while people take breaks then they need to hire more people. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/22 "2005-07-18T16:57:15Z")
I thought there was a federal law… Fair Labor Standards Act? that required thirty minutes of break after six hours of work. ---
**Author:** ![Aangelica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Aangelica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aangelica)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/23 "2005-07-18T18:36:55Z")
Speak to HR. It’s totally possible that all you will have to do is inform them that you have a medical condition requiring you to take medication _with food_ at certain prescribed intervals and are more than happy to produce a doctor’s note attesting to said fact. You may well not have to get into the gory details at all. There are a number of medications that require being taken at prescribed intervals with food - and some medical conditions managed substantially through _regularly scheduled_ food consumption. Like diabetes. Or hypoglycemia. There are lots and lots of drugs for serious illnesses (not just your illness) that require this type of scheduling of medications and food consumption. This _can’t_ be the first time they’ve heard of the phenomenon. Calmly explain the situation, with the two instances mentioned above explained in detail. Ask if company policy calls for endangering an employee’s health rather than allow regularly scheduled break times. Request accomodation. Accomodation is a magic word. Accomodation invokes the Americans With Disabilities Act. For which you may well qualify, actually. At any rate, while federal law does not require rest, meal or other breaks, many states _do_ (I am not your lawyer, nor do I know in which state, if any, you live - more specific advice I therefore cannot tender). That being said, your supervisors are obviously particularly scrofulent and pestilential examples of undercooked, syphilitic camel excrement in not-particularly-convincing disguise as worthless specimens purporting to be members of the human race. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/24 "2005-07-18T18:44:32Z")
It’s hard e-fucking-nough for folks to get their B-p meds dialed in just right, that would include dosage AND time. It’s time to start documenting this shit. The guy is fucking with you. And it’s just that kind of fucking with people that end up with lawsuits. Document it, document it, document it. If you build up enough evidence, it might just be the asshole who is out of a job. ---
**Author:** ![gommsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bcef8e/32.png) [@gommsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gommsn)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/25 "2005-07-18T19:02:38Z")
**Duffer** , I don’t know what country or state you’re in, so none of this may apply. I’m a Canuk and have some experience with workplace accomodation( my own). There is in Canada, a piece of legislation called the Workplace Accomodation Act.According to this, in my expreience at least, all that your employer is required to know is that you are being treated for a condition which, in the opinion of your doctor , requires the following accomodations. The doctor then outlines the particular requirements that he deems necessary for you to maintain your present state of health. The employer is not privy to the particular condition, only any implications it may have on your preformance on the job. And they are certainly not privy to what medication you are on. Again, only what repercussions the meds may have on your performance. I did not work nights for the last ten years before I retired, due to a sleep disorder. The only information HR knew was that my doctor requested that I not be posted to nights. That was the end of it. There was a form he needed to update yearly but there was never a problem about it. Check with your doc. I’m sure he has other patients he does this for. Good Luck!! ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/26 "2005-07-18T19:26:14Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > How long is your shift? If you don’t get to eat until seven hours into your shift, doesn’t that mean you’re going home in an hour anyway? > . Well. the time I get my lunch break wouldn’t be so inportant if the chemical could wait. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/27 "2005-07-18T20:03:29Z")
Oy, that sounds like a fun situation. I gave Concerta a test-drive in college – it worked great, but it was just too inflexible, so I stuck with Ritalin. > [@](#): > > So high that I go get a club sandwich and promptly puke it up all over the sidewalk on the way back to the office. Well, that was fairly predictable. Back in school, when I wound up doing my 72-hour speed binge every May and December (trying to catch up on a whole semester’s worth of studying and papers in a single week), I found that I couldn’t eat anything more substantial than pretzels and water until I was on a break and coming down. And I mean anything. If I ate a bag of Doritos (let alone something as hearty as a Snickers bar), there was a 50/50 chance I’d see it again in 20 minutes. This was true with Ritalin, and doubly true with Concerta. So, I guess the upshot is this: if your lunch situation doesn’t improve, keep a bag of pretzels at your workstation. It’s not much, but it’ll get you by. Hope everything works out. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/28 "2005-07-19T04:54:25Z")
YES! I won my shift bid. I’ll no longer have to deal with those 3 ass clowns as I’ll be working different hours! To clear up a few things: This really only became a problem last week. I was going to Pit the fuckers last week, but let it go thinking it may just be coincidence. What really set me off was letting them know I needed time to eat, then they admitted to a supervisor they were deliberately fucking with the lunch break out of spite. For reasons that were wholly made up in their little skulls. Concerta is basically the same as Ritalin with one big difference. It’s designed to be released in 3 stages. That way you only take one pill, but it lasts about 12 hours or so. So once you take it, you have no choice about the next dose hitting you. I understand I can have food at the desk (Pemmican, fuckin’ brilliant catch on the typo **ETF** ) 😃 And that’s why the rant wasn’t posted last week. What really pissed me off, on principle I guess, is the fact they admitted to fucking with me out of spite. Well, this rant is losing it’s steam what with the new shift and all. I had to get this out of my system, though andx I appreciate everyone for taking time to read it. It feels so much better writing about it than trying to come up with bail money after taking the problem to the source. I still wonder if I should go to the summer picnic. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/29 "2005-07-19T09:32:36Z")
I know I’m a little late, but… > [@duffer](#): > > Yes, we’re allowed to eat our desk. However, it becomes a problem when you have to (here’s the list) Um, chipped teeth, torn tissue in the esophagus, huge portion of budget set aside for buying replacement desks, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/30 "2005-07-19T13:25:04Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > What really set me off was letting them know I needed time to eat, then they admitted to a supervisor they were deliberately fucking with the lunch break out of spite. For reasons that were wholly made up in their little skulls. Good to hear it. You’ve won, and the assclowns now look like the rectal Crustys that they are. It doesn’t get much better than that. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/31 "2005-07-19T16:32:58Z")
I find myself wondering how likely it is that a company that has two petty despots on one shift would have enlightened leaders in the same position on another. Tris ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/32 "2005-07-19T16:47:36Z")
Actually, **duffer** , Ritalin does come in time-release form so you only have to take one pill per day. I’m glad to hear you won. Stick it to the man! (And stay healthy!) ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/33 "2005-07-19T17:29:30Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > I thought there was a federal law… Fair Labor Standards Act? that required thirty minutes of break after six hours of work. There is no _ **federal** _ law for giving any kind of break no matter how many hours worked for adults. It just say that if you give a break, 15 mins or less, it must be paid. State laws vary. Minors do have laws regarding breaks. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/34 "2005-07-19T17:50:21Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > There is no _ **federal** _ law for giving any kind of break no matter how many hours worked for adults. It just say that if you give a break, 15 mins or less, it must be paid. State laws vary. > > Minors do have laws regarding breaks. That’s weird, because I have been repeatedly told by my supervisors/superiors that I must take a half an hour break after six hours of work, period. It may be something particular to my job, though. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/35 "2005-07-19T17:59:59Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > That’s weird, because I have been repeatedly told by my supervisors/superiors that I must take a half an hour break after six hours of work, period. It may be something particular to my job, though. In your case…it’s state law. [http://www.dol.gov/esa/programs/whd/state/meal.htm](http://www.dol.gov/esa/programs/whd/state/meal.htm) ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/36 "2005-07-19T18:06:32Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > In your case…it’s state law. > > [http://www.dol.gov/esa/programs/whd/state/meal.htm](http://www.dol.gov/esa/programs/whd/state/meal.htm) That’s close to what I’ve been told, but not quite. I suppose my supervisors may have been mistaken, but I understood it was a half-hour, mandatory - meaning I couldn’t even opt out of it should I choose to do so. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2005, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/37 "2005-07-20T05:25:01Z")
Final update on this whole fiasco. So I show up today to see my boss walking out of the HR lady’s office. “Oh, perfect timing!”, says she. Fuck, it’s never perfect timing when you’re the underling. So we go in the office, door closes, and I start thinking about where I’ll be applying at this afternoon. The meeting basically covered what happened, the two are being reprimanded and I have to sign an accomidation form. (Not really what I wanted to happen, I’d rather keep this knowledge limited to a very few) But it’s done, I’m guaranteed a break in a specific time frame. Yay for me, a double shot of good news. As far as the time off for lunch, I do know it’s required by at least the company. Say you work through lunch. You need to log an extra half-hour because they deduct it even if you didn’t post the skip in your hours. (It’s all computer handled) So the entire program handling the timesheets build in the 30 minutes anyway. Sounds like a 30 min lunch is required. (Did that even make sense?) 😕 Anyway, I win a small victory. I’m happy now. Thanks to everyone for the good advice. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2005, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/38 "2005-07-20T09:35:23Z")
It makes perfect sense. Some bosses are just plain jerks. Congratulations! CJ ---
**Author:** ![gommsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bcef8e/32.png) [@gommsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gommsn)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2005, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/39 "2005-07-20T10:08:40Z")
**Duffer** , Point of curiosity. How much information were you required to give up on the accomodation form? If you’re pleased with the result, then I’m happy for you. I know these things can be a pain in the ass. Are you satisfied? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2005, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965/40 "2005-07-20T12:56:54Z")
Good news, but I have to ask: > [@duffer](#): > > the two are being reprimanded How? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expressing-your-power-no-youre-being-petty-work-related/312965.md?page=3)