[dtcandelaria]

Hi,

I am presently working. I love my job so it's not an issue to me if everyday, I come in to work earlier than I should be and going home later than I should, eversince I was employed in this company. Today, our HR had sent me an email with our CEO copied on reminding me that my lunch hour is 50 minutes and that I overspend it 2-3 times twice a month. Should I reason out that it gets compensated anyway with how long I stay and work in the office ? Tks/D.

[Fr_Chuck]

No, you should think they are giving you a warning about taking an excessive lunch.

Unless you are are a salary person, coming in early and working after ( esp if you are not being paid) can even be labor violations.

If you are salary, lunch times should not even be an issue normally.

If you have set hours that is what you need to be doing, you are not free to alter those on your own and have to ask for any variance of hours

[goodjuju29]

It really depends on the organization's personality, but the poster above is right in most cases. I would only mention the extra hours if it gets escalated beyond a warning. Best thing you can do is stay within your lunch "hour". Unless you use an automated time card system someone's got there eye on you. Not always a bad thing but things like this could mean a missed opportunity when management is looking for employee's for special projects, promotion, position review, and even reduction in force procedures.

[twinkiedooter]

If your lunch break is 50 minutes stick to that schedule. It does not really matter if you come into your job one hour earlier and stay one hour later (unpaid). What matters is that you adhere to the company's lunch break policy. Fudging your time by staying later for your lunch break will ultimately get you terminated.

[rachelcuryy08]

If it's a good job you might want to sick to that 50 min break that's a good break time were in at 15min that's it.

[suhle]

Yes. Absolutely stick to the 50 min. lunch hour. Actually, because you've gotten this official warning, I'd do 45 min. for a few months. There are always a number of people at any work place that are more interested in "telling on" other people rather than doing their own job. I've gotten screwed a few times because of it. Lots of people are allowed to stretch the rules, but most people are not allow to. You need to assume you are not allowed to. It's much safer if you want to enjoy your job.
Not getting caught up in this type of stuff is much better for your mind. I also come in early and leave late most of the time. Once in a great while I come in late. I figure I'm an adult, I do good work, the hours average out to WAY over 40 hours per week. I've been told time and time again that's not a good way to look at it. THEY are the bosses and I am a worker. Doesn't matter if I'm salaried or hourly. I need to act like a responsible, hard working employee and follow as many of the rules as I can stand following as much of the time as I can. :-(