# We were on a break!!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 24, 2004, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813 "2004-04-24T16:41:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2004, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/1 "2004-04-24T16:41:13Z")
We were on a break!!! Knock it off, already! Grumble, grumble, grumble. ---
**Author:** ![cheddarsnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cheddarsnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cheddarsnax)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/2 "2004-04-24T16:50:25Z")
Yeah! What? ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/3 "2004-04-24T18:07:12Z")
wtf? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Tremmie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Tremmie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tremmie)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2004, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/4 "2004-04-24T18:38:46Z")
Is that you Ross? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/5 "2004-04-24T18:58:18Z")
Shaddup and get your ass back to work. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/6 "2004-04-24T19:12:10Z")
I’ve always thought that, break or no break, the customer’s needs come first. Any employee who makes a customer, or any other urgent work, wait until break time is over deserves to be fired. Good thing I’ve never been a boss. ---
**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:** [April 24, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/7 "2004-04-24T19:27:04Z")
> [@DesertGeezer](#): > > I’ve always thought that, break or no break, the customer’s needs come first. Any employee who makes a customer, or any other urgent work, wait until break time is over deserves to be fired. Good thing I’ve never been a boss. Um, not quite. If you’re punched out, no, you do NOT have to help anyone. It’s called a “break” for a reason. I’ve had customers follow me into the breakroom and then get pissed because I wouldn’t help them AND told them they weren’t supposed to be there. ---
**Author:** ![Br\_er\_Lapin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Br\_er\_Lapin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Br_er_Lapin)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/8 "2004-04-24T19:27:34Z")
Oh! Oh! I wanna take a guess! You and your woman were on a “break” when you shagged another broad, and now woman #1 is pissed? Do I win? ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2004, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/9 "2004-04-24T19:34:58Z")
> [@DesertGeezer](#): > > Any employee who makes a customer, or any other urgent work, wait until break time is over deserves to be fired. Depends on the situation, really. For example, if you’re off the clock and a customer wants you to, say, operate a cash register to ring up his purchase, then they’re out of luck. Operating equipment while not on the clock is usually against store policy, and could cost the employee their job. ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/10 "2004-04-24T19:46:32Z")
> [@Joe Random](#): > > Depends on the situation, really. For example, if you’re off the clock and a customer wants you to, say, operate a cash register to ring up his purchase, then they’re out of luck. Operating equipment while not on the clock is usually against store policy, and could cost the employee their job. You may be right. In a retail setting, at least. But in that context, wouldn’t breaks be staggared so that the register was always covered? I worked in an engineering department, salaried – not on a punch card, so breaks, if I took them at all, were not mandated (by the company) or set for any specific time. They were only available according to state law. I was just thinking that if, as a boss, I saw an employee blow off a customer or other work that needed to be done immediately so as not to miss a breaK, I would scrutinize that employee’s work carefully. Conscientiousness counts for a lot with me. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/11 "2004-04-24T19:51:09Z")
> [@Bre'r Lappin](#): > > Oh! Oh! I wanna take a guess! > You and your woman were on a “break” when you shagged another broad, and now woman #1 is pissed? > Do I win? No! ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/12 "2004-04-25T02:15:08Z")
> [@Tremmie](#): > > Is that you Ross? 😛 Joey? Is that you? ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/13 "2004-04-25T02:21:54Z")
> [@Bre'r Lappin](#): > > Oh! Oh! I wanna take a guess! > You and your woman were on a “break” when you shagged another broad, and now woman #1 is pissed? > Do I win? \ We were on a break. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/14 "2004-04-25T02:26:56Z")
Hey, **JT** , Long time no see. How’s [Delphi](http://web.ask.com/redir?bpg=http%3a%2f%2fweb.ask.com%2fweb%3fq%3dWhere%2bwas%2bthe%2bdelphic%2boracle%2blocated%253f%26o%3d0%26page%3d1&q=Where+was+the+delphic+oracle+located%3f&u=http%3a%2f%2ftm.wc.ask.com%2fr%3ft%3dan%26s%3da%26uid%3d04231FA1A75CC22F3%26sid%3d1818C03BD28F1B804%26qid%3dBA83A5F6AEEC3949862E30125AC94622%26io%3d0%26sv%3dza5cb0d75%26o%3d0%26ask%3dWhere%2bwas%2bthe%2bdelphic%2boracle%2blocated%253f%26uip%3dd1b287bc%26en%3dte%26eo%3d-100%26pt%3dDelphi%2bResource%2band%2bReferences%2bPage%26ac%3d4%26qs%3d0%26pg%3d1%26ep%3d1%26te_par%3d102%26te_id%3d%26u%3dhttp%3a%2f%2fwww.tylwythteg.com%2fdelphi%2fdelphi.html&s=a&bu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.tylwythteg.com%2fdelphi%2fdelphi.html&qte=0&o=0) suiting you this time around? ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/15 "2004-04-25T03:18:54Z")
> [@DesertGeezer](#): > > You may be right. In a retail setting, at least. But in that context, wouldn’t breaks be staggared so that the register was always covered? You’d think so, but I sometimes wonder. I mean, the next time you’re in a retail establishment, try finding an employee to help you somewhere other than the front registers. You’ll probably have to wander around the aisles for quite a bit before finding someone. [quote] I worked in an engineering department, salaried – not on a punch card, so breaks, if I took them at all, were not mandated (by the company) or set for any specific time. [quote] Yes, in that case the customer **definitely** comes first. Since breaks aren’t scheduled, you can always relax for a few minutes once you’re done helping the customer. > [@](#): > > I was just thinking that if, as a boss, I saw an employee blow off a customer or other work that needed to be done immediately so as not to miss a breaK, I would scrutinize that employee’s work carefully. I definitely agree. If we’re not talking about a retail setting where the individual employee has no control over his/her breaks, then an employee who blows off something important because they want to leisurely drink their cup of coffee has some serious issues with their work ethic. ---
**Author:** ![zwaldd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@zwaldd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwaldd)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/16 "2004-04-25T03:35:47Z")
> [@DesertGeezer](#): > > I’ve always thought that, break or no break, the customer’s needs come first. When I was a supervisor at a computer help desk, we got slammed with calls due a network outtage and I asked a guy to come in from his break and help out. He grudgingly complied. Later I get this email from him telling me that he thinks it was unfair that I asked him to curtail his break. I emailed back and told him that if he’d like we could meet with the department manager in the the morning and he could air his grievance. He wisely dropped it. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/17 "2004-04-25T06:51:38Z")
Wow zwaldd, you’re kind of a dick. The guy had a legit beef and you threatened him when he complained about it. Way to step up as a manager and take responsibility for an action you took which was probably in violation of company policy and depending on the laws in your jurisdiction possibly illegal. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/18 "2004-04-25T10:45:12Z")
Yeah, breaks are **federally mandated**. Go read that poster detaling federal labor laws that your workplace is required to post where employees can easily read it. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/19 "2004-04-25T12:00:25Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Wow zwaldd, you’re kind of a dick. The guy had a legit beef and you threatened him when he complained about it. Way to step up as a manager and take responsibility for an action you took which was probably in violation of company policy and depending on the laws in your jurisdiction possibly illegal. I don’t see how he’s being a dick, or how this employee had a legit beef. I could see if he wasn’t allowing the employee a break at all, but that ain’t what he’s talking about. There was an emergency. In an emergency, break time is over and all hands on deck! When the emergency is over, _then_ the employee can take a break. Yes, breaks are federally mandated. But are the _times_ of those breaks mandated? ---
**Author:** ![zwaldd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@zwaldd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwaldd)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2004, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813/20 "2004-04-25T12:44:28Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > The guy had a legit beef and you threatened him when he complained about it. What did I threaten him with? > [@sturmhauke](#): > > breaks are federally mandated Unless something has changed recently, [breaks are not federally mandated](http://www.lawforkids.org/QA/labor/labor11.cfm). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-were-on-a-break/241813.md?page=2)