lunch hour not part of "working day"?

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  1. #1

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    lunch hour not part of "working day"?

    Have I just been outrageously lucky in the past 20+ years around the greater China area (HK, Macau, Taiwan, mainland) in that my lunch hours have always been considered part of the working day (i.e. 8am - 5pm Mon-Fri = 45 hour week)?

    It didn't occur to me even to ask about this when I signed the contract for my current job here, but now I discover myself working an extra half day a week because "lunch hour is not company time."

    This is a full-time professional job, not casual labour at a fast food outlet.

    From what I can see on the Labour Department website this practice doesn't seem to be actually illegal, so more fool me for not having asked ... but what experience have others had?


  2. #2

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    In the UK lunch hour is never regarded as a working hour - so if you work 9 - 5.30pm that'a 37.5 hour working week. I don't know what's considered the norm in HK but I'd be surprised if it was different.

    Doesn't make much difference in a professional career though does it? Contracted hours are irrelevant in most cases.


  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by chingleutsch:
    Have I just been outrageously lucky in the past 20+ years around the greater China area (HK, Macau, Taiwan, mainland) in that my lunch hours have always been considered part of the working day (i.e. 8am - 5pm Mon-Fri = 45 hour week)?
    Considering that a working day normally consists of 8 hours, which means 40 hours a week I don't think you have been lucky, just calculated wrongly.

    It didn't occur to me even to ask about this when I signed the contract for my current job here, but now I discover myself working an extra half day a week because "lunch hour is not company time."
    That appears to be pretty much standard all over the world, and if you have not figured that out in the last 20 years I don't know which planet you have been working on.

  4. #4

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    45 hour = 3 days at 15 hours....

    My record was 95 hours one week.


  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by hk.com:
    45 hour = 3 days at 15 hours....
    The OP said Mo-Fri, that's 5 days.

  6. #6

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    Sounds as if I've just been outrageously lucky over the last few decades ... yeah, I know plenty about local slaving hours from previous experience here, and so made a decision to take a limited hours job at half what I was earning here 20 years ago so I could have a life as well (some of us are reeaal choosy) - but if I'd known I wasn't going to be paid for lunch hours whether I worked through them or not I would have asked for a few extra K!
    Beanieskis, I will bear in mind that the Brits don't pay meal breaks should I ever be job-hunting in that corner of the world.


  7. #7

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    Can't imagine anyone would pay me to eat my lunch. Then again I spend my lunch hour (after 20 mins eating) on geoexpat or chores (bank, supermarket, etc.).


  8. #8

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    In my experience, most 'full time professional' jobs dont count the hours. You get paid a monthly salary and for that you are expected to work as necessary. I very rarely leave less than an hour after the official finishing time and I also work the occasional weekend where necessary. Its all part of the job. But then sometimes I might take a 2 hour lunch break or a few hours off to visit the doctor or something.

    At least I am not in Japan anymore where you were expected to give up most of your annual leave every year. If you take too much , you are considered lazy. hehe.


  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by bdw:
    In my experience, most 'full time professional' jobs dont count the hours. You get paid a monthly salary and for that you are expected to work as necessary.
    Agreed. My contract states: "Hours of work are to be such as to allow a full professional commitment commensurate with responsibilities being undertaken for posts at this salary level". In other words, you get paid a lot so you need to work whatever hours are required to do the job.

  10. #10

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    i fell for this trap years ago as well.

    You just need to be aware of this when you sign contract review/renewal and have it rectified or leave.

    In my case with other jobs previously (in UK as well ) the notional "lunch hour" was counted as a work hour since in practice duties continue as usual during that time.

    Just play hardball with the company on this point -if they think you are worth it they will promptly come to their senses-i got it changed at 12 months renewal


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