518-373-4111
One of your full time, non-exempt employees wants to take a 30-minute lunch break instead of the complete hour, while still working until their scheduled time of 5:00 pm. Is this possible?
Your lunch break policy can be flexible, as long as you are allowing your employees the minimum meal period required by the state. You can decide whether or not to allow this employee to shorten their meal time, since many states that require meal breaks have a 30-minute minimum requirement for the meal time.
Keep in mind that shortening this employee’s lunch break without adjusting the beginning or ending time of their shift may cause them to regularly work overtime. Many employers will allow employees to shorten their meal periods, but adjust their arrival or departure time so that the total work time stays the same. Employers who need coverage at both ends of an employee’s shift, however, may decide to require the hour long lunch break even if it is not the employee’s preference.
Whichever way you decide, you should be consistent. If you allow a shortened meal period for this employee, it is best to allow it for employees in similar roles. The same goes for allowing or not allowing regular overtime hours.
For more information on how GTM helps businesses with HR issues such as this one, contact us today at (518) 373-4111.
