The question is more complicated than that. If a person is “on-call” during their break whether officially or not then yes they should be paid. If they have clearly designated times and are not expected, nor ever asked to, be there on an emergency basis then no they shouldn’t be paid.

By law you should be paid for the 15 minutes every four hours break you have. I am not paid for my lunchbreak, and don’t expect to *but* would expect time in lieu or payment if I had to work through my lunch.

So my answer to the poll would be yes for short breaks but no for lunch.

What about toilet breaks. I believe that if you go at your desk you should get paid

For doctors and nurses who work through lunch because the little old dear in bed 6 decides to start vomiting blood, yes, they should be paid.

The desk jockey who didn’t type fast enough for the morning and needs to make up time? That should be at the discretion of the company.

In my job smokers smoke 5-10 cigs in any 13hr working day period. Which prob adds up to between 25- 45mins outside breaks. These extra breaks are paid for and unmonitored. As a non smoker I’d surely love an extra 45mins break paid.

Disclaimer: not looking for sympathy, just stating the reality.
I work for the hse. I do 25 hour shifts (they’re officially 18hrs as apparently you can sleep between 12&7 – that all depends on whether the unit is in crisis or not) and I don’t get an official lunch break. I work with kids in care and you can be lucky to get 15 mins.
I’d love a break and I wouldn’t expect it to be paid for.
(as an aside; When I managed a unit I had to take a minimum 1/2 hr break and it wasn’t paid for.)

this is so stupid. surely we have to feed people who come to work. i.e. not dock an hours pay because they eat! humans HAVE to eat, not like we gotta choice here! crazy world this is getting. i hope my doctors are having proper meals thats all i can say

The bosses are ALWAYS paid for their lunch breaks.
As are Irish politicians.

Depends on the job. I don’t think they should stop paying doctors or anyone whose job would require them to be prepared to have to work during their break. If it’s a job that you can take a real break and are not expected to do any work at all, then I suppose it’s ok not to pay in that case.

Most Hospital based doctors are on call even during lunch, its why they carry bleeps. Most community nursing facilities are also on call and available during lunch so thy all should be paid. If you can leave your desk or station and go for a walk or shopping during break then no pay

According to your ‘headline’ the Poll is ‘should workers be paid for their LUNCH breaks’ and yet the question you ask above the vote buttons is ‘ should workers be paid for their breaks!! Come on, get it right! There is quite a difference between a 15 minute break and a 30-60 minute break.
What about CIGARETTE breaks?!!!

by law u have to take a break but when i have a lunch break have to work half hour more so i can have it

The HSE’s treatment of Locum doctors is appauling. They work upti and over 24 hours witg only small 15 min breaks and niw thet want to deduct them for it. A.company, public or private, should only be allowed deduct if the employee can go off the premises for the period and do what they wish. On-call breaks must be paid for.

why dont they build a compound around these places take us out when it suits them,then throw us back when the job is done

Hi Guys, I have just started a Cause on Facebook asking the Irish Government to hold a Referendum that will allow the Irish voter to decide how much TD’s and Senators are paid in salaries and expenses.lease join if you are interested.
I would also love to hear from politicians on this topic so that we the Irish people could have a frank , open transparent discussion on the subject.
They get to decide our pay and conditions of work, levies etc, why are we not afforded the same opportunity when it concerns their pay.

isn’t it law under the working time act?

I work, so yes I should be payed for my lunch. Jesus I’m paying enough bloody taxes. I’ll have no wages left! Civil servants shouldn’t be though, particularly those working in social welfare offices. The ignorant bunch of workers, I think it’s a requirement to work there. A good 90% are rude to extremely unhelpful. They take 2 hours lunch, they never answer phones when they’re in there, even basic form filling is a chore to them. That place and FAS..or Solas ,my apologies, need a serious shake up. Disgracefully inept organisations.

i get paid for 15min morning break but not midday lunch break. HSE Nurse

No offence but , there should also be a poll about doctors getting paid during the time they poop?

Yes of course. Workers in Ireland are already treated as slaves as it is.

A slow News Day..?

There’s never a just dead, Evil Dictator or Despot around when you need ‘em

Why on earth should there be caveats for getting or not getting paid for your lunch break?
All workers should be either paid, or all workers shouldn’t. What I mean is, everyone should be treated equally, private and public sector alike.
As well as being treated equally, workers should feel no qualms about actually taking the breaks entitled to them. It seems more and more common practice for people to work through their lunches, because of extra pressures, understaffing etc. but they get no thanks for it when they don’t get paid- they seem to think they owe their employers more than the hours they are already selling them. If people are paid for their breaks anyway, it removes that thankless scenario, but if they insist on doing it, rewards them.
Personally, I am of the view everyone should be paid through their break as it provides greater flexibility, and people are more inclined to step up to the mark in the face of shortages in staff/ resources.

I am in private sector and in work for 9 hours a day and paid for 8. I think this is ok anyways, paid lunch breaks would be madness in fairness, whole country and people are taking recession cuts, if public sector wants to pay lunches why not to ask them to deduct these from their board directors salaries? Idea will be quickly reviewed.

You’re on a break. You’re not working. Why should an employer pay you?

On-call work, salary work etc is usually different and as with any job, good employers will specify this in your contract. But to take the question at its most basic level, “Should workers be paid for lunch breaks?”, my answer is an absolute “no”.

Sure, trample worker’s rights, why not

Simple question really.

Can you be called to finish your break early or delay it to return to work at work’s behest?

If you can, then the break should be paid, since you’re “on call”

If you can refuse to return until the agreed break finish time, then the break should be rightly unpaid.

Toilet breaks paid, but no paid cigarette breaks. If you want a fag, sign out, sign in. Got a problem with that? Quit smoking.

The toilets will have sprinklers, and undefeatable smoke sensors, so don’t try anything funny.

There’s no limit to the insanity! How about we make a machine to charge people by the square for toilet tissue or use a sink? Does the boss ever expect you to come in on a moments notice from home to do something? Charge them “on call pay” where you get paid to be at home and wait for your phone to ring to come in to work. Or how about the time you stay after and work a few minutes every day? Strangling the chickens does not help them lay more eggs. If I am required to punch out for lunch do not expect me back until my unpaid time is up. I will of course, out of duty to my employer break from my lunch to help with what needs to be done while I break. Great employees are an asset and if it means you keep them on as your faithful employees who make you money so be it.

I voted no for the simple reason if I don’t take it why shouldn’t it be credited to me. So if I work through lunch why shouldn’t I get time back.
Now if I was entitled to it I would never get it as I would be put in meetings possibly back to back and saying I am entitled to some thing at the deferment of the company I find unexceptable.

So if want a lunch take it. If you don’t a grab something on the run and go home early, good for you

for an hour lunch, no. anything less then yes

Should workers be paid for lunch breaks?

Maybe We Should Ask Mary Harney This One?

I rarely take a proper lunch break and I would imagine I am not in a minority there. So the question is moot really.