Paid breaks ?

[KentPhilip]

A couople of years back I realised 3 months after the event that I had invoiced a client for an entire 2 weeks that I had been on holiday in the South of France. I just invoiced for a normal month, they paid it and life went on. Mentioned it to my client contact and he said not to worry as it was to much of a hassle to correct it... that what I called getting a paid break

blimey can I work where you work!

You'll have to arrange a 2-month break to Australia and try the trick again...

[BrowneIssue]

A couople of years back I realised 3 months after the event that I had invoiced a client for an entire 2 weeks that I had been on holiday in the South of France. I just invoiced for a normal month, they paid it and life went on. Mentioned it to my client contact and he said not to worry as it was to much of a hassle to correct it... that what I called getting a paid break

After sitting and thinking for a while I have come to the conclusion ...

... the client is an incompetent fool who deserves to get ripped off. And the agency is not much better.

So the agency paid an invoice without matching signed timesheets? Fools.

So the client paid the agency's bill without matching signed timesheets? Fools.

Had you done it on purpose I would have said very bad things at you. Since you came clean you're a good chap. And a very, very jammy bugger for getting to keep the dosh!

[SallyAnne]

You are obliged by law to take at least one 30 minute break after 5 hours of working. Even if you work through this period without physically taking a break then this 30 minutes isn't counted.

e.g. if you are obliged to work a 7.5 hr day then you will have to work 8 hrs, only 7.5 hrs of which you can charge for.

Well unless "the law" comes and sits behind my desk and orders me to waste half an hour of my day, I'll be claiming for all 8 hours, thanks very much.

[BrowneIssue]

I didn't answer your question.

I keep a detailed log of my time on which I record start & stop times through the day. I 'stop the clock' when I go to the tea bar, lunch, sit around gossiping (non work subjects), went out for a smoke (I've since stopped) or anything else anyone might grizzle about.

When anyone has ever complained about my timekeeping or queried my timesheets (it always happens eventually) I direct the complainant at the person who signs my agency timesheet. If the signer ever queries anything I show them my detailed log and how the totals match the agency timesheet.

Complicated but saves any arguments. In particular when I was smoking, which is why I started the record.

[BrowneIssue]

For one client some years ago, they (Inhuman Resources) were adamant that everyone took an hour for lunch. I was ordered (yes, ordered) to make my timesheets show this break and I wouldn't be paid for it.

However, whenever any of the supplier staff were on site, I had to escort them everywhere. Frequently they would spend the day in the machine room or in the training suite. So I worked through lunch, unpaid and, presumably, uninsured.

(But it's OK, it only worked out to about 100 to 120 hours unpaid. )

[tay]

A couople of years back I realised 3 months after the event that I had invoiced a client for an entire 2 weeks that I had been on holiday in the South of France. I just invoiced for a normal month, they paid it and life went on. Mentioned it to my client contact and he said not to worry as it was to much of a hassle to correct it... that what I called getting a paid break

[DimPrawn]

Hi everyone,

got a question :

are UK contractors entitled to any paid breaks ? In my last 2 jobs I got 15 mins or so (so i got a 45 min lunch break , paid for 15 and not for 30) , but now nothing.

Cant find anything on this in google so thought id ask you guys.

Cheers

I work 8.5 hour shifts btw 8-4:30

I assume you mean lunch breaks and tea breaks.

When my company contract was paid by the hour, I did not include breaks taken by the consultant when totalling up the hours.

When my company contract was paid by the professional day, breaks are irrelevant. A day gets a rate regardless of the length.

Is this what you are asking?

[KathyWoolfe]

I guess it depends on how your contract is worded.

For me...I'm contracted for 40 hours a week, so I have to work 40 hours. They dont care if I take no lunch or 5 hours for lunch, as long as I work all those hours.

So no, I don't get paid for having a lunch - just for working 40 hours a week.

You are obliged by law to take at least one 30 minute break after 5 hours of working. Even if you work through this period without physically taking a break then this 30 minutes isn't counted.

e.g. if you are obliged to work a 7.5 hr day then you will have to work 8 hrs, only 7.5 hrs of which you can charge for.

[MrRobin]

Sure, as a director of a limited company I can pay myself salary for as long a break as I want - 1 hour, 2 hours, half a day or more!

However, I wouldn't expect my client to pay for any hours or minutes that I am sitting around in the pub or the local sushi bar.

[DiscoStu]

Hi everyone,

got a question :

are UK contractors entitled to any paid breaks ? In my last 2 jobs I got 15 mins or so (so i got a 45 min lunch break , paid for 15 and not for 30) , but now nothing.

Cant find anything on this in google so thought id ask you guys.

Cheers

I work 8.5 hour shifts btw 8-4:30

Paid breaks? You're a contractor!

[SallyAnne]

I guess it depends on how your contract is worded.

For me...I'm contracted for 40 hours a week, so I have to work 40 hours. They dont care if I take no lunch or 5 hours for lunch, as long as I work all those hours.

So no, I don't get paid for having a lunch - just for working 40 hours a week.

[Poom]

Hi everyone,

got a question :

are UK contractors entitled to any paid breaks ? In my last 2 jobs I got 15 mins or so (so i got a 45 min lunch break , paid for 15 and not for 30) , but now nothing.

Cant find anything on this in google so thought id ask you guys.

Cheers

I work 8.5 hour shifts btw 8-4:30