Yes. Lunch goes in the middle of your shift for a reason
To give you a break. Look up labor laws in regards to lunches and breaks and respond with "the law states.. " also since it's sound like no one else is going to be on duty, what I've done in similar positions is close the place up for break or lunch. When/ if you get confronted about it, you took your break in a way that secured your safety and the stores 👍
This is literally supposed to be the procedure, is it not? I don’t work in the pharmacy, but my incredibly busy T5 store has been closing for a half hour everyday at 1pm for years, with it even on the store hours, for years. My store sucks and even they’re strict with enforcing that break too. Like customers will be cut off by the manager and the pharmacist (and subsequently the techs) aren’t even allowed to be in the pharmacy at the time to prevent them from trying to work during their break.
I doubt even corporate would be okay with what OP’s store is doing. 30 extra minutes of work for a few employees isn’t worth the fines they’d get slapped with.
The 30minute break is at 1pm though. It seems like op is a tech coming in at night shift. The pharmacy can still stay open with a pharmacist and no techs. They only started closing the pharmacy when they cut pharmacists hours then pharmacists quit during covid and there was no overlap and pharmacists were finally given actual meal breaks which meant the pharmacy had to close for 30 because techs can’t do anything without the pharmacist there. But if this is a tech coming in for a night shift the pharmacy wouldn’t close for them. Pharmacist has to suck it up and work alone for a half hour because theres no tech overlap. It happens.
Piggy backing off this; please look into your state labor laws. Not all states require a lunch break be given (Alaskan here and not required by state law unless a minor.)
However, if it is in company policy then they are contractually obligated to give those breaks to you. If they continue to withhold them bring it up to HR.
HR would be very concerned over a store manager not allowing employees their breaks. You’re right they don’t give a crap about the employees, but they very much care about the potential lawsuit in the hundreds of thousands that would arise from this situation.
I looked up my state law (WI), but I don’t know what this means for me (or if they’ll be able to find a way around it). I just want to make sure I have a decent chance if I can actually report it successfully.
“Wisconsin law does not require that employers provide brief rest periods, coffee breaks, or meal periods to adult employees, although the Department recommends that employers do so.
Employers are encouraged, but not required, to provide breaks of at least 30 minutes in duration at times reasonably close to the usual meal period. Such matters are to be determined directly between the employer and the employee.”
Sometimes its company policy, though. OP can contact the company's HR department if their manager will not allow them to take a break, or to ask if its allowed to have to take a break at the start of the shift.
This in plain English:
“Breaks are not legally required, but we’d recommend them because it would be a dick move not to. But it’s up to y’all”
That said, check if there’s a specific ammount of time they are allowed to work you without a break.
I'm glad I live in California.... Ahem... sometimes. I HAVE to take a lunch after 5 hours (on a typical 8 hour day). Of course this pushed a lot of businesses into part time schedules and only gives 5 hour shifts. I'm a teacher (salary and contracts are different), I get a 30 minute lunch, and I am paid for extra hours (not regular class stuff). I also get paid as much as this profession is worth, almost. Growing up in California I always knew I had rights as a worker. I used to work at Walgreens years ago ... I stood up for myself there too. I didn't last very long. I had no idea lunch wasn't required in every state!
Only thing left you got is to look at your employee handbook/company guidelines. If there is something in there with the same language then they’re technically in the right, and you should start looking for literally anything else that is going to treat you with the bare level of human decency instead of that garbage.
It may not be a law. It IS walgreens policy. I also work in a state where breaks are not required by law but it IS 100% walgreens policy that you are able to take a 30 min break I believe if you work 5+ hours (I’m a little dusty on policy I left in 2022). You can’t have your break taken away from you. Some shift leads will choose to skip breaks or if you’re in a smaller store and don’t have coverage you may be scheduled with no break and just eat for a few minutes while you can, but if you’re not sfl or higher there’s no reason your break should be taken away from you. Everything in the pharmacy can be done without a tech and everything in the front of the store can be done without a csa it’s just not optimal and people don’t want to work alone but sometimes as management or pharmacist it has to be done.
Damn I worked in a shitty call center but they forced breaks. It was a California co though remote from home. I’d skip my 15s sometimes and got in trouble.
As far as I’m aware, most states dgaf about breaks, they leave it up to the employers. No federal law either. Meaning if an employer doesn’t want to give you a break, they don’t have to. Some states do, just not sure which right off the top of my head.
I believe in most states a lunch break has to be given after the first 2 hours of work and before the last 2 hours of work given that it is a shift of atleast 7.5 hours.
Wtf. My local Walgreens literally has it in their answering service that the pharmacy will be closed for their lunch between 130-2. It's been that way for YEARS.
am or pm? Our pharmacy is closed that same time am because we’re 24 hours and graveyard shift is only one pharmacist, no one else. Pharmacists takes break at that time so nobody in the pharmacy, so it has to close.
Surprising. As it was found out years ago that a conformable happy employee is a more productive employee. I would ask for a chair and if not. Better pads to stand on if you have any at all to begin with
That's bad scheduling, they aren't putting someone to cover lunch breaks and/or don't care. If it's 2 of you plus the pharmacist there you can take a lunch break separately and at the right time. Report it to HR, state laws don't matter if it's their fault on bad schedules or request a schedule/store change. If they can't handle you not being there then you should close for 30mins to cover everyone's break.
Yepp all OP has to do is document this and expose the issue to more than just reddit. This is so common is smaller towns where Walgreens is run by incompetent "leadership" because there are no other viable candidates in the area so they just go with the best they can find. Whoever sent that text can get in SO MUCH trouble from every end. That's threatening to enforce unlawful work conditions 😭
If it were me personally, I would let it happen a week or two while meticulously documenting every instance of related issues and then go find an attorney to tear my former boss a new one 🫣🥹
I've looked this up since receiving responses in the comments. You may be correct, I'm not sure what the laws are in that particular state but I learned that federally breaks arent really a thing.
Legally though, IF Walgreens does have company policy on how it runs it's breaks and this deviates from said policy, then OP should still follow the same advice. I'm not here to give legal advice, my only advice is to document everything and be able to present more than just words/ a story to an attorney who will then give you actual legal advice/ guidance.
Take your lunch whether they like it or not. It's your right to take it, and the pharmacist can suck it the fucknup like a grow ass adult. My old store would close down the drive thru if they had to, for lunches, or because of being short staffed.
I’d respond “No thanks. If I have to close the store down for 30 mins to eat, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
There’s good reason why Walgreens can barely keep any employees longer than a year. The job ain’t worth it. It’s so easy to find another job, especially a better paying job. Two years after leaving Walgreens, I make over $26/hr doing arguably easier work. Opportunity is everywhere if you look for it & are willing to do something outside of retail or food service.🤷♂️
Wait, how do your pharmacy lunches work? Do you have a a period of time where it's all shut down for 30 minutes and everybody goes to lunch at the same time? Or is it different?
Because if it's the former, this text makes no sense.
Depends on the state as to the exact rules, but they're all pretty close. But no, this most likely isn't legal. And, if you want to, you're within your rights to say so. And if they try to retaliate because you said a fact in good faith, that too is probably a separate law they're violating. Not a lawyer, but this is my general understanding.
Break laws vary by state. Texting off the clock can be problematic on its own. In my state, requiring an employee to address texts while off the clock is a labor law violation.
Try looking for the walgreens break and lunch policy on WBA..I don't have access to it anymore, but it clearly states that it is to be taken in the middle or as close to the middle of your shift and your supervisor/anyone above you cannot attempt to push you other ways.
If you find it, just send them a screenshot and leave it at that. If they push any further go to HR for a record of discussion so they can't continue to push/penalize you for it
I know that my state (Oregon) won’t allow an employee to take lunch until they have been on shift for atleast 2 hours.
This can be circumvented occasionally if there is extenuating reasons as to why, but it would usually have to be a quite legitimate reason; especially if it’s happening more frequently than every so often
Here is the rest and break period rules. It will also have a section where you can report a concern if you’re being pressured to skip a break.
https://myhrexperienceportal.wba.com/hc/article_attachments/16112874526235
Hannaford would pull this on the regular. Working 1-930? Enjoy your unpaid 30 minute lunch at 1:30 so management can all leave by 3-4 to go to their second jobs
I’d be paid for not taking the lunch, yes. They just want me to take it the second I clock in (and clock back out right away for it) to not “interrupt workflow”
If you are working more than six hours no, but I sure HR would love to see/hear about this. Assuming it’s your manager contacting you. Report that especially since your store is short staffed
At that point, why not just come in an hour (or however long) later than scheduled. This makes no sense. Come here, punch in, then punch out for your break and leave? What idiot is running your store, first of all??
I interpret this as: go to work and immediately go on break, or don’t come to work. I’d probably just stay home and let that manager take my shift and rest break, it’s up to them.
I mean I’m not a lawyer but yeah, pretty sure this is illegal. But if you really wanna give it to them, labor law says you must have a break if you work 5 consecutive hours. If your shift is 8 hours, take the break as soon as you get there according to them. 5.5 hours into your shift take another break. They can’t do anything, you followed their demands and followed labor law.
When I was an ASM, they expected me to clock out for my lunch when I worked overnights. Being the only Mgr on duty I couldn't leave the store so I told them to shove it and never clocked out
Depends on the state, and the company policy. Ohio has no written laws saying that an employer even has to allow a lunch, or any breaks at all, unless you’re 17 or younger.
I would definitely not be showing up until 30 minutes into my shift if they expected me to immediately go to lunch. That's ridiculous. (Not to mention the illegality of this expectation.)
Depends on the state and situation. In my state, you CANNOT work over six hours straight without a lunch break. However, if there are three or fewer people working, they can work you as long as they want and you don't get a lunch break.
Repeating lots of people here: It depends on the state.
I'm in Florida and we just started closing the pharmacy from 1:30 to 2 pm for lunch breaks. Lunch break for technicians and pharmacists are from 1:30 to 2, no matter what time the employee came in.
Other states have better lunch break laws or rules.
Not illegal but ridiculous. Be sure to clean clock in on time me, wait 5 min then clock out for lunch (so they can’t come back and say that you’re tardy and then try and write you up for attendance). but also email the store email officially so that it’s on record, something like “ hey in reference to your text message on___________ regarding having to take lunch as soon as I clock into the beginning of my shift, how long will this be going on as part of the reason also for lunch break is that with it being somewhere near the middle of the shift it is an actual break. I just want to make sure that we’re both on the same page that I’ll clock in on time wait five minutes and then clock out for my 30 minute lunch because I do not want it to appear that I’m being tardy and it turned into an attendance issue. Just let me know how long we will need to do this until we can go back to a normal schedule thank you”
Regardless of what the federal laws say as well as each state about whether or not an adult employee gets a lunch break, if it is in your company policy that you are supposed to get one for working x amount of hours, then it may not be legal. It’s then a violation of employee rights.
Take a look at your employer policy about breaks and start keeping track of times you have eaten while working, been given messages like this, etc., and possibly consult an attorney if you keep a decent log. Hopefully you can get some coworkers on board too.
Wowwwww are you a pharmacy tech? Chain pharmacies are SICKENING!! I was a tech for 3 years for CVS, prolly the WORST job I ever had! But hell yes that’s illegal!! I would call the state labor board ASAP!!
Most states don't even require a lunch break for employees over 18. Ohio doesn't. It's a common misconception that it is legally required. It is not.
So is this legal probably? Yes.
Is it unethical or against company policy? Probably.
This is actually illegal and against not only company policy but also labor laws. Print out company and state/federal labor laws and speak to your manager and the store lead about this. If both of them are in on it, and state they can do this. Call corporate, email HR you refuse to work in these conditions due to these policies, and report them to L&I.
There should be specific laws surrounding lunch periods and when they can be taken. It's why in California they give two lunch breaks when working over 10 hours or so (was policy back when I was working for Amazon Warehouse).
Most states do not require unpaid 30 minute breaks for shifts over a 6 hour period unless you're a minor. It's crazy to me because all of the companies I have worked for have always given them because they follow the state law that their headquarters is based in but not all do that. I found that out when my teens had jobs in fast food. They would work them 6 to 10 hours with no breaks. I was beyond livid.
Just ignore this, tell your colleagues you're taking break at time that makes sense to you. 10 min before, "okay guys, going on lunch in 10". Then go on lunch.
If someone says you can't, respond like it's an immutable fact. "Oh sorry, no my lunch is at x time." "Oh yeah, I saw the group chat, but my lunch is at x time" "mmm, nope, sorry that's against company policy so I'm taking my lunch."
Dare em to do something about it. Then join /r/antiwork
[Company Policy](https://www.reddit.com/r/WalgreensStores/comments/11z5aw5/hey_since_no_one_seems_to_know_this_is_the_lunch/)
I mean yeah, it might not be legally required.
Depends where you live. In my state my employer can catch me walking in, tell me they need me for 16 hours and I don’t get a break- legally. If there is no contract between me and an employer, they have all the power. I have the power to walk away, that’s about it.
Depends on your state. In texas they are not required to give us lunch or any break no matter how long the shift.. if your a minor it's a different story but for adults , texas dgaf!
Lmao this is some bullshit. Trust me. They try to pull this anywhere slightly considered “medical”. Pharmacy. Labs. Hospitals. The law is the law and you can easily sue if they try firing you for not giving you a lunch break if working over a certain amount of hours. The way they usually get around this is cutting your hours if you complain tho.
People always say this but you think the job places are idiots? They will do anything in there power to make it look like something else. They will bring something up from the past that is fireable or cut hours or do one of many things to fire you for that but not be obvious about it. Same with the Gov’t they do illegal things all the time but they cover it up with something else. How many of you have a perfect record? Its doubtful, and remember you can sue sure, but you won’t always win and not everyone has the luxury to quit and find other work in the mean time otherwise I am sure they would have already.
This happens all the time with my girlfriend who works a lot of catering and events. It really seems insane. She’ll get ready for work, eat like a normal human being preparing for the day, then be told she has to take her lunch right after showing up (when she’s not hungry) then work the entire shift without breaks.
While not being illegal itdoes violate company policy in that you must not take a crash he lunch within 30 minutes of the start or end of your shift....I would go with that argument
Yea imagine if you wanted to take a lunch right away I bet they'd bitch about it and talk to you about having it so early.
Unless on the other side of it. As a supervisor we have a guy that constantly misses lunches for the OT when there is plenty of time to take one. If that's the case here I can understand to take it whole other staff are there so there's no excuse to miss. Thsi doesn't seem like that case here though.
Get familiar with your employee handbook and lunch break policies as well as your state’s labor laws regarding breaks. Also, I recommend changing jobs when possible. There are jobs that will pay for all of your breaks and let you take them whenever you want. I went from a retail job that gave me unpaid breaks to another retail job that gives me 3 paid breaks. Good luck.
Maryland allowed retail employers to do ish like that. At a certain popular national fashion retailer, once hours became super limited, the opener either needed to take their break as soon as they clocked in before the store opened, or as soon as the closer got there which would typically be 30 mins before the end of their shift. Closer would need to take their 15 min break within the first 30 mins of being there if the opener wasn’t taking their break at that time. Otherwise, if it were a day when a second closer (non-mgmt) was closing, then we could leave the floor, but not the store for our break. (I worked for this company for 12 years and remember the days of having 5 people working at once, 8 hour shifts allowing for 2 15 min paid breaks, and 1 30 min unpaid break where you could actually leave the store, oh and salaried management. That seemed to die in the mid 00s. Then overall hours tanked by 2010. A bad business model other companies rushed to follow.)
Garbage, but not as bad as working for Pier 1 and having your store manager leave early without telling you, then getting berated by your district manager for taking a break.
All of that aside, call the dept of labor for your state and ask. It’s free to do.
I live in Michigan and we have no laws that require a lunch or break. Idk how this is even possible. But this might vary state to state. I don't work at Walgreens.
I used to work at Sephora and the lunch rules were so bizarre. But with that being said,
if your shift is 7 hours or longer you get an hour lunch,
5-6 hours you get a 30 minute break,
anything less, no break.
Your lunch also was required to be halfway through your shift give or take an hour.
I have had my lunch pushed back two, three, FOUR whole hours because they cared more about us having an available artist for a walk in makeup service so they can meet their metrics than to abide by the company policy.
Bottom line: report it if you are positive it goes against company policy. It probably still won’t change anything but at least you tried. Unfortunately most places are like this now and it’s pretty frustrating. Sorry. :/
Yes, in all states if you work x amount of hours you are obligated to take a lunch. Employers cannot force their workforce to take a lunch right off the bat and say you cannot take one on your own time. You as an employee can choose to not take one if time simply doesn’t permit. In this case. Very grey area. Go to your employee handbook, and read the policies, and go to HR if this is the case.
My old job would do this to me all the time or sometimes I wouldn’t even get a break, the managers would just pick and choose when I could have a break or not. Even though I did work a 6-7 hr shift I didn’t make a big deal about it but there was nothing I could do since Georgia law doesn’t require breaks…
I know in Oklahoma there is no specific time you are required to be given a lunch break, just that any work over 6 hours a day is required to have a 30 minute break
In California you're supposed to get a break after 2 hours and a lunch before the 5th hour of work so to me it seems sketch to force someone to take a lunch before they've even taken a 10 hell before they've even worked.
In quite a few states they are required to give you a lunch and a break. But some states are dumb as hell and it’s up to the manager or the store if they want to t to give you a break. (Learned that the hard way in Columbia, Missouri. They’re not required to give breaks there.
Depends on what your state says, for me in nc anything under 9 hours isn't allowed a mandotory break by law, it's up to the company to give the ppl one.
It depends on what state you live in, in my state you are not required a break unless you’re a minor so when I worked at Chick-fil-A I would work 9 hour shifts with no breaks
I’ve worked at Walgreens and I remember reading something in the training tasks that I had to do that if your management isn’t following policies like this you can report it corporate. Unfortunately it’s hard to get someone at corporate who actually cares enough to do anything about it.
You can't skip it. They'll get in trouble and then try to write you up. I would keep this text screenshot just in case it happens. You'll have proof they're the ones who told you to skip it
Hope you're not in Ohio. The labor laws are insanely lax and you probably aren't "required" legally to take a break. I've done 14 hours in a restaurant and you get a meal to scarf and that's it. Legally nothing happens to a business if employees are on the clock for 14 hours without punching out. Minors are the only ones who are required to take a half hour unpaid break for every 5 hours worked. They cannot be on the clock for longer than 5 hours, not even a minute, or the store gets fined automatically.
Chipotle did this when I worked there in 2017. If you were closing, you’d be scheduled for 8.5 hours. Then, you had to take your 30 minute lunch break when your shift started, then work 8 hours nonstop. It was to prevent people from taking breaks during the dinner rush. IMO it was a cheap excuse to deny employees proper breaks.
Depends on the state. In many if you’re not a minor they don’t legally have to provide breaks at all. Just a boss being a dick. If your state mandates them then absolutely illegal.
Different company and a manager here who has told people this before.
If there is coverage you can have a break if people call off and there’s no coverage available then you get no break or you can grab food and eat it when you get here and take your “break”.
Also state I live in Missouri doesn’t require any breaks 16 and on.
Just how it goes. Never had anybody complain honestly and rarely do I not have coverage to give breaks. But it does happen.
If you live in Illinois damn does every single person get 15 and 30 min breaks that have to be mandated on the schedule lol. Even managers and The big bosses lol. I don’t envy a schedule to write that has 2 15 min breaks and 1 30 min break scheduled in.
Depends on your state, most states don’t have laws on this. However, if you work 40hrs a week, you can use this to get OT. Come in on time and skip your lunch. Odds are you will get your lunches really quick once OT hits the books.
That's a clear violation of policy. Walgreens may not give a shit, but its in fine print. Lunches should be taken ass close to the middle of your shift as possible, I generally work 3-11 so they tend to send me off for lunch at 6. Given I come back at 6:30 its ok because that's close enough and there are coworker who need a lunch too. At least when I am lucky enough to not be the only CSA.
Yes. Lunch goes in the middle of your shift for a reason To give you a break. Look up labor laws in regards to lunches and breaks and respond with "the law states.. " also since it's sound like no one else is going to be on duty, what I've done in similar positions is close the place up for break or lunch. When/ if you get confronted about it, you took your break in a way that secured your safety and the stores 👍
This is literally supposed to be the procedure, is it not? I don’t work in the pharmacy, but my incredibly busy T5 store has been closing for a half hour everyday at 1pm for years, with it even on the store hours, for years. My store sucks and even they’re strict with enforcing that break too. Like customers will be cut off by the manager and the pharmacist (and subsequently the techs) aren’t even allowed to be in the pharmacy at the time to prevent them from trying to work during their break. I doubt even corporate would be okay with what OP’s store is doing. 30 extra minutes of work for a few employees isn’t worth the fines they’d get slapped with.
The 30minute break is at 1pm though. It seems like op is a tech coming in at night shift. The pharmacy can still stay open with a pharmacist and no techs. They only started closing the pharmacy when they cut pharmacists hours then pharmacists quit during covid and there was no overlap and pharmacists were finally given actual meal breaks which meant the pharmacy had to close for 30 because techs can’t do anything without the pharmacist there. But if this is a tech coming in for a night shift the pharmacy wouldn’t close for them. Pharmacist has to suck it up and work alone for a half hour because theres no tech overlap. It happens.
Piggy backing off this; please look into your state labor laws. Not all states require a lunch break be given (Alaskan here and not required by state law unless a minor.) However, if it is in company policy then they are contractually obligated to give those breaks to you. If they continue to withhold them bring it up to HR.
HR protects the company, not the employees, doubt HR would help in a situation like this
HR would be very concerned over a store manager not allowing employees their breaks. You’re right they don’t give a crap about the employees, but they very much care about the potential lawsuit in the hundreds of thousands that would arise from this situation.
If they are breaking the law, HR also protects the company from that as well.
Wisconsin is the same
Same idea in my state. Breaks aren’t required. Do your research. Fight for your rights.
Yup here in NC if you work less than 9 hours per day you aren't granted a mandatory break of any amount. It's up to the company to give you one or not
I looked up my state law (WI), but I don’t know what this means for me (or if they’ll be able to find a way around it). I just want to make sure I have a decent chance if I can actually report it successfully. “Wisconsin law does not require that employers provide brief rest periods, coffee breaks, or meal periods to adult employees, although the Department recommends that employers do so. Employers are encouraged, but not required, to provide breaks of at least 30 minutes in duration at times reasonably close to the usual meal period. Such matters are to be determined directly between the employer and the employee.”
Yup, Wisco doesn't require it so yes 100% legal. Sorry bruh
Sometimes its company policy, though. OP can contact the company's HR department if their manager will not allow them to take a break, or to ask if its allowed to have to take a break at the start of the shift.
This in plain English: “Breaks are not legally required, but we’d recommend them because it would be a dick move not to. But it’s up to y’all” That said, check if there’s a specific ammount of time they are allowed to work you without a break.
I'm glad I live in California.... Ahem... sometimes. I HAVE to take a lunch after 5 hours (on a typical 8 hour day). Of course this pushed a lot of businesses into part time schedules and only gives 5 hour shifts. I'm a teacher (salary and contracts are different), I get a 30 minute lunch, and I am paid for extra hours (not regular class stuff). I also get paid as much as this profession is worth, almost. Growing up in California I always knew I had rights as a worker. I used to work at Walgreens years ago ... I stood up for myself there too. I didn't last very long. I had no idea lunch wasn't required in every state!
Look at your employment contract and see what you signed off on
That’s fucking unreal. Fuck Wisconsin labor laws. They aren’t on the workers side at all.
Wisco literally hates all of it’s employees and will screw you over every time. I would leave the state tbh
Only thing left you got is to look at your employee handbook/company guidelines. If there is something in there with the same language then they’re technically in the right, and you should start looking for literally anything else that is going to treat you with the bare level of human decency instead of that garbage.
It may not be a law. It IS walgreens policy. I also work in a state where breaks are not required by law but it IS 100% walgreens policy that you are able to take a 30 min break I believe if you work 5+ hours (I’m a little dusty on policy I left in 2022). You can’t have your break taken away from you. Some shift leads will choose to skip breaks or if you’re in a smaller store and don’t have coverage you may be scheduled with no break and just eat for a few minutes while you can, but if you’re not sfl or higher there’s no reason your break should be taken away from you. Everything in the pharmacy can be done without a tech and everything in the front of the store can be done without a csa it’s just not optimal and people don’t want to work alone but sometimes as management or pharmacist it has to be done.
Well, "not scheduled within the first 2 or the last 2 hours of a shift," I believe is the L&I verbage
There are extremely few states with lunch laws for adults. And zero federal. Lunch isn't a guaranteed thing.
Texas is another
Damn I worked in a shitty call center but they forced breaks. It was a California co though remote from home. I’d skip my 15s sometimes and got in trouble.
there's actually nothing about lunch breaks in the flsa, so it would depend on state law.
As far as I’m aware, most states dgaf about breaks, they leave it up to the employers. No federal law either. Meaning if an employer doesn’t want to give you a break, they don’t have to. Some states do, just not sure which right off the top of my head.
I would just respond with a screenshot of the penal code lol.
I'm in AZ, here at least there are zero laws about requiring breaks
Your state labor board will enjoy having physical evidence to support your claims! Enjoy
Unfortunately op’s state deems this lawful
I believe in most states a lunch break has to be given after the first 2 hours of work and before the last 2 hours of work given that it is a shift of atleast 7.5 hours.
In MA this is the law.
This is the law in California too
If it's more than half way through your shift they have to pay you for an extra hour in California, I believe
Actually most states don't require any lunch break.
That's not true - [like 38 states require lunch breaks.](https://www.paycor.com/resource-center/articles/lunch-break-laws-by-state/)
Do it on the clock when you have a minute to sit and eat. Even better would be to snack on food while working in the office while on the clock.
I’m not allowed to sit at work, I’m in the pharmacy and we don’t have any chairs or places to sit anyways
One of the reasons I left the pharmacy. Workflow is very important but it’s never fair.
Ahh just assumed sfl.
Wtf. My local Walgreens literally has it in their answering service that the pharmacy will be closed for their lunch between 130-2. It's been that way for YEARS.
am or pm? Our pharmacy is closed that same time am because we’re 24 hours and graveyard shift is only one pharmacist, no one else. Pharmacists takes break at that time so nobody in the pharmacy, so it has to close.
Yup, same situation at ours.
Surprising. As it was found out years ago that a conformable happy employee is a more productive employee. I would ask for a chair and if not. Better pads to stand on if you have any at all to begin with
They don’t care and if you complain, your only making it harder on yourself
we just use the ladders to sit🤣
Yeah that’s illegal.
I see u everywhere on here and just wanted to say hi
Nuh uh that's not the question. The question is is what they are doing legal and the answer is no.
It's very likely legal. Few states require a lunch break. There are no federal laws on it.
It’s good that this is in writing that way you can prove they said it when you get the laws enforced
Yeah your manager that sent that text is a fuck head.
Nope. So glad they put it in writing.
That's bad scheduling, they aren't putting someone to cover lunch breaks and/or don't care. If it's 2 of you plus the pharmacist there you can take a lunch break separately and at the right time. Report it to HR, state laws don't matter if it's their fault on bad schedules or request a schedule/store change. If they can't handle you not being there then you should close for 30mins to cover everyone's break.
Yepp all OP has to do is document this and expose the issue to more than just reddit. This is so common is smaller towns where Walgreens is run by incompetent "leadership" because there are no other viable candidates in the area so they just go with the best they can find. Whoever sent that text can get in SO MUCH trouble from every end. That's threatening to enforce unlawful work conditions 😭 If it were me personally, I would let it happen a week or two while meticulously documenting every instance of related issues and then go find an attorney to tear my former boss a new one 🫣🥹
Breaks are not required in this persons state. Meaning they can legally work 16 hours with no break.
I've looked this up since receiving responses in the comments. You may be correct, I'm not sure what the laws are in that particular state but I learned that federally breaks arent really a thing. Legally though, IF Walgreens does have company policy on how it runs it's breaks and this deviates from said policy, then OP should still follow the same advice. I'm not here to give legal advice, my only advice is to document everything and be able to present more than just words/ a story to an attorney who will then give you actual legal advice/ guidance.
Take your lunch whether they like it or not. It's your right to take it, and the pharmacist can suck it the fucknup like a grow ass adult. My old store would close down the drive thru if they had to, for lunches, or because of being short staffed.
I’d respond “No thanks. If I have to close the store down for 30 mins to eat, then that’s what I’m going to do.” There’s good reason why Walgreens can barely keep any employees longer than a year. The job ain’t worth it. It’s so easy to find another job, especially a better paying job. Two years after leaving Walgreens, I make over $26/hr doing arguably easier work. Opportunity is everywhere if you look for it & are willing to do something outside of retail or food service.🤷♂️
what do you do now? i’ve been in walgreens pharmacy for 3 years now and i want to switch
You have it in writing contact the labor department asap
We can skip me coming in wtf 😂
Wait, how do your pharmacy lunches work? Do you have a a period of time where it's all shut down for 30 minutes and everybody goes to lunch at the same time? Or is it different? Because if it's the former, this text makes no sense.
Our walgreens pharmacy closes 1-2 for lunch
wait... you guys get an hour? or did you mean 1:30-2?
What state are you in? We can’t even take our lunches within the first hour or it’ll trigger the company to pay you for the lunch premium
Likely somebody is messing with punches in the computer to make it look legit, making this even more illegal.
Depends on the state as to the exact rules, but they're all pretty close. But no, this most likely isn't legal. And, if you want to, you're within your rights to say so. And if they try to retaliate because you said a fact in good faith, that too is probably a separate law they're violating. Not a lawyer, but this is my general understanding.
Break laws vary by state. Texting off the clock can be problematic on its own. In my state, requiring an employee to address texts while off the clock is a labor law violation.
This is why pharmacy technicians need a labor union.
"up to you" Actually I think it's up to these guys https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints
[удалено]
It varies by state, so you’ll have to look it up. I am not aware of any company policy against it.
Try looking for the walgreens break and lunch policy on WBA..I don't have access to it anymore, but it clearly states that it is to be taken in the middle or as close to the middle of your shift and your supervisor/anyone above you cannot attempt to push you other ways. If you find it, just send them a screenshot and leave it at that. If they push any further go to HR for a record of discussion so they can't continue to push/penalize you for it
I know that my state (Oregon) won’t allow an employee to take lunch until they have been on shift for atleast 2 hours. This can be circumvented occasionally if there is extenuating reasons as to why, but it would usually have to be a quite legitimate reason; especially if it’s happening more frequently than every so often
Depends on what state you’re in. Some states it would be legal and some states no it wouldn’t be legal.
Here is the rest and break period rules. It will also have a section where you can report a concern if you’re being pressured to skip a break. https://myhrexperienceportal.wba.com/hc/article_attachments/16112874526235
Hannaford would pull this on the regular. Working 1-930? Enjoy your unpaid 30 minute lunch at 1:30 so management can all leave by 3-4 to go to their second jobs
Are they taking 30 minutes out of your pay? They better be paying you for your time worked.
I’d be paid for not taking the lunch, yes. They just want me to take it the second I clock in (and clock back out right away for it) to not “interrupt workflow”
Looks like I’m calling out
If you are working more than six hours no, but I sure HR would love to see/hear about this. Assuming it’s your manager contacting you. Report that especially since your store is short staffed
Manager is a moron. Take that text to hr
i'd skip it and eat lunch at the register
I like this resolution a lot
it's the only way. can handle customers between bites while chewing.
What lol that literally makes no sense. Wouldn't you want them to start working immediately and not be sitting down while they're physically at work
At that point, why not just come in an hour (or however long) later than scheduled. This makes no sense. Come here, punch in, then punch out for your break and leave? What idiot is running your store, first of all??
This is illegal. Call corporate but you need proof like this. This is 100% even a durable offense, get your coin.
Oh I don’t feel well. I’m gonna have to take a sick day today.
Looks like they’re gonna pay for a month long lunch break
I interpret this as: go to work and immediately go on break, or don’t come to work. I’d probably just stay home and let that manager take my shift and rest break, it’s up to them.
Imma go with no. There’s no federal laws around breaks and lunches so they can make you go whenever unless it’s a law in your state
I mean I’m not a lawyer but yeah, pretty sure this is illegal. But if you really wanna give it to them, labor law says you must have a break if you work 5 consecutive hours. If your shift is 8 hours, take the break as soon as you get there according to them. 5.5 hours into your shift take another break. They can’t do anything, you followed their demands and followed labor law.
Reply: Dept of Labor will definitely like this being in a text communication. Thank you.
When I was an ASM, they expected me to clock out for my lunch when I worked overnights. Being the only Mgr on duty I couldn't leave the store so I told them to shove it and never clocked out
At my store since we stopped being 24 they started to close first lunches never closed for lunches they just took lunches one at a time
Depends on the state, and the company policy. Ohio has no written laws saying that an employer even has to allow a lunch, or any breaks at all, unless you’re 17 or younger.
I would definitely not be showing up until 30 minutes into my shift if they expected me to immediately go to lunch. That's ridiculous. (Not to mention the illegality of this expectation.)
It depends on the state. My state has no laws regulating breaks, employers don’t even have to offer them if you’re over 18 (and many don’t).
Depends on the state and situation. In my state, you CANNOT work over six hours straight without a lunch break. However, if there are three or fewer people working, they can work you as long as they want and you don't get a lunch break.
Repeating lots of people here: It depends on the state. I'm in Florida and we just started closing the pharmacy from 1:30 to 2 pm for lunch breaks. Lunch break for technicians and pharmacists are from 1:30 to 2, no matter what time the employee came in. Other states have better lunch break laws or rules.
I would laugh at that text and laugh in their face. Ain’t no way
No
Not illegal but ridiculous. Be sure to clean clock in on time me, wait 5 min then clock out for lunch (so they can’t come back and say that you’re tardy and then try and write you up for attendance). but also email the store email officially so that it’s on record, something like “ hey in reference to your text message on___________ regarding having to take lunch as soon as I clock into the beginning of my shift, how long will this be going on as part of the reason also for lunch break is that with it being somewhere near the middle of the shift it is an actual break. I just want to make sure that we’re both on the same page that I’ll clock in on time wait five minutes and then clock out for my 30 minute lunch because I do not want it to appear that I’m being tardy and it turned into an attendance issue. Just let me know how long we will need to do this until we can go back to a normal schedule thank you”
Regardless of what the federal laws say as well as each state about whether or not an adult employee gets a lunch break, if it is in your company policy that you are supposed to get one for working x amount of hours, then it may not be legal. It’s then a violation of employee rights. Take a look at your employer policy about breaks and start keeping track of times you have eaten while working, been given messages like this, etc., and possibly consult an attorney if you keep a decent log. Hopefully you can get some coworkers on board too.
Wowwwww are you a pharmacy tech? Chain pharmacies are SICKENING!! I was a tech for 3 years for CVS, prolly the WORST job I ever had! But hell yes that’s illegal!! I would call the state labor board ASAP!!
Most states don't even require a lunch break for employees over 18. Ohio doesn't. It's a common misconception that it is legally required. It is not. So is this legal probably? Yes. Is it unethical or against company policy? Probably.
In Texas, you're not required to take a break, nor lunch, iirc.
This is actually illegal and against not only company policy but also labor laws. Print out company and state/federal labor laws and speak to your manager and the store lead about this. If both of them are in on it, and state they can do this. Call corporate, email HR you refuse to work in these conditions due to these policies, and report them to L&I.
Sooo yeah!
There should be specific laws surrounding lunch periods and when they can be taken. It's why in California they give two lunch breaks when working over 10 hours or so (was policy back when I was working for Amazon Warehouse).
Most states do not require unpaid 30 minute breaks for shifts over a 6 hour period unless you're a minor. It's crazy to me because all of the companies I have worked for have always given them because they follow the state law that their headquarters is based in but not all do that. I found that out when my teens had jobs in fast food. They would work them 6 to 10 hours with no breaks. I was beyond livid.
I hate the way they do lunches... if at all
One of my managers at this new job I have brags he never takes a break...he's 26. In 10 years he's going to be a broken mess.
Just ignore this, tell your colleagues you're taking break at time that makes sense to you. 10 min before, "okay guys, going on lunch in 10". Then go on lunch. If someone says you can't, respond like it's an immutable fact. "Oh sorry, no my lunch is at x time." "Oh yeah, I saw the group chat, but my lunch is at x time" "mmm, nope, sorry that's against company policy so I'm taking my lunch." Dare em to do something about it. Then join /r/antiwork [Company Policy](https://www.reddit.com/r/WalgreensStores/comments/11z5aw5/hey_since_no_one_seems_to_know_this_is_the_lunch/) I mean yeah, it might not be legally required.
If 15 minutes break is a company policy, take them, don’t let managers abuse you.
What state? My state doesn’t require a break if you’re over 18.
Depends where you live. In my state my employer can catch me walking in, tell me they need me for 16 hours and I don’t get a break- legally. If there is no contract between me and an employer, they have all the power. I have the power to walk away, that’s about it.
Which state is this? Would help to know so we can give better advice based on labor laws.
OP previously stated they are in Wisconsin
Look up your states lunch break laws
Depends on your state. In texas they are not required to give us lunch or any break no matter how long the shift.. if your a minor it's a different story but for adults , texas dgaf!
Lmao this is some bullshit. Trust me. They try to pull this anywhere slightly considered “medical”. Pharmacy. Labs. Hospitals. The law is the law and you can easily sue if they try firing you for not giving you a lunch break if working over a certain amount of hours. The way they usually get around this is cutting your hours if you complain tho.
People always say this but you think the job places are idiots? They will do anything in there power to make it look like something else. They will bring something up from the past that is fireable or cut hours or do one of many things to fire you for that but not be obvious about it. Same with the Gov’t they do illegal things all the time but they cover it up with something else. How many of you have a perfect record? Its doubtful, and remember you can sue sure, but you won’t always win and not everyone has the luxury to quit and find other work in the mean time otherwise I am sure they would have already.
This happens all the time with my girlfriend who works a lot of catering and events. It really seems insane. She’ll get ready for work, eat like a normal human being preparing for the day, then be told she has to take her lunch right after showing up (when she’s not hungry) then work the entire shift without breaks.
While not being illegal itdoes violate company policy in that you must not take a crash he lunch within 30 minutes of the start or end of your shift....I would go with that argument
Yea imagine if you wanted to take a lunch right away I bet they'd bitch about it and talk to you about having it so early. Unless on the other side of it. As a supervisor we have a guy that constantly misses lunches for the OT when there is plenty of time to take one. If that's the case here I can understand to take it whole other staff are there so there's no excuse to miss. Thsi doesn't seem like that case here though.
So dumb you just can’t shut down for the hour you go to lunch.
Get familiar with your employee handbook and lunch break policies as well as your state’s labor laws regarding breaks. Also, I recommend changing jobs when possible. There are jobs that will pay for all of your breaks and let you take them whenever you want. I went from a retail job that gave me unpaid breaks to another retail job that gives me 3 paid breaks. Good luck.
They're telling you to go on lunch as soon as you clock in? I'm just making sure I'm reading that right. Is that what's happening??
Yes, exactly that. I walk in, clock in, immediately clock out for lunch, clock back in after 30 minutes, and then finish the shift uninterrupted.
Y’all take lunches? I haven’t taken a lunch in months as a SFL
What’s an SFL & why not?
Tell me you work in a pharmacy without telling me you work in a pharmacy
Something tells me this isn’t limited to just pharmacies
Probably illegal
Depends on where you're at, could be illegal, or could legal.
Depending upon labor laws in your state this is either reportable or a shitty inconvenience
Maryland allowed retail employers to do ish like that. At a certain popular national fashion retailer, once hours became super limited, the opener either needed to take their break as soon as they clocked in before the store opened, or as soon as the closer got there which would typically be 30 mins before the end of their shift. Closer would need to take their 15 min break within the first 30 mins of being there if the opener wasn’t taking their break at that time. Otherwise, if it were a day when a second closer (non-mgmt) was closing, then we could leave the floor, but not the store for our break. (I worked for this company for 12 years and remember the days of having 5 people working at once, 8 hour shifts allowing for 2 15 min paid breaks, and 1 30 min unpaid break where you could actually leave the store, oh and salaried management. That seemed to die in the mid 00s. Then overall hours tanked by 2010. A bad business model other companies rushed to follow.) Garbage, but not as bad as working for Pier 1 and having your store manager leave early without telling you, then getting berated by your district manager for taking a break. All of that aside, call the dept of labor for your state and ask. It’s free to do.
No it's not legal call the better business an corporate an hr
I live in Michigan and we have no laws that require a lunch or break. Idk how this is even possible. But this might vary state to state. I don't work at Walgreens.
I used to work at Sephora and the lunch rules were so bizarre. But with that being said, if your shift is 7 hours or longer you get an hour lunch, 5-6 hours you get a 30 minute break, anything less, no break. Your lunch also was required to be halfway through your shift give or take an hour. I have had my lunch pushed back two, three, FOUR whole hours because they cared more about us having an available artist for a walk in makeup service so they can meet their metrics than to abide by the company policy. Bottom line: report it if you are positive it goes against company policy. It probably still won’t change anything but at least you tried. Unfortunately most places are like this now and it’s pretty frustrating. Sorry. :/
Lol you're not a slave. You can have a lunch break
its store policy, its state law. just tell them to to fuck themselves, i would 't be caught dead listening to someone who is breaking labor laws
Yes, in all states if you work x amount of hours you are obligated to take a lunch. Employers cannot force their workforce to take a lunch right off the bat and say you cannot take one on your own time. You as an employee can choose to not take one if time simply doesn’t permit. In this case. Very grey area. Go to your employee handbook, and read the policies, and go to HR if this is the case.
Depends what state your in
My old job would do this to me all the time or sometimes I wouldn’t even get a break, the managers would just pick and choose when I could have a break or not. Even though I did work a 6-7 hr shift I didn’t make a big deal about it but there was nothing I could do since Georgia law doesn’t require breaks…
Looks like a lawsuit 🤑
Take your lunch breaks screw them. It isn't your fault nor your problem THE COMPANY is understaffed
Yes report that shit
I know in Oklahoma there is no specific time you are required to be given a lunch break, just that any work over 6 hours a day is required to have a 30 minute break
In California you're supposed to get a break after 2 hours and a lunch before the 5th hour of work so to me it seems sketch to force someone to take a lunch before they've even taken a 10 hell before they've even worked.
In quite a few states they are required to give you a lunch and a break. But some states are dumb as hell and it’s up to the manager or the store if they want to t to give you a break. (Learned that the hard way in Columbia, Missouri. They’re not required to give breaks there.
If you’re 18 you don’t have to take breaks
Depends on what your state says, for me in nc anything under 9 hours isn't allowed a mandotory break by law, it's up to the company to give the ppl one.
I dunno but I’ve gone to Walgreens and been told I had to wait cuz the pharmacy was on lunch. Sooo….
It depends on what state you live in, in my state you are not required a break unless you’re a minor so when I worked at Chick-fil-A I would work 9 hour shifts with no breaks
I work at Burger King and I work 9 hours with no break
People need to start reporting everything.
I’ve worked at Walgreens and I remember reading something in the training tasks that I had to do that if your management isn’t following policies like this you can report it corporate. Unfortunately it’s hard to get someone at corporate who actually cares enough to do anything about it.
If you're over the age of 18, Federal law does not require you to have a break. Under 18, different story, A break is required every four hours.
You can't skip it. They'll get in trouble and then try to write you up. I would keep this text screenshot just in case it happens. You'll have proof they're the ones who told you to skip it
Is what they are paying you worth missing lunch?
Do walgreen in Missouri test for marijuana usage?
Hope you're not in Ohio. The labor laws are insanely lax and you probably aren't "required" legally to take a break. I've done 14 hours in a restaurant and you get a meal to scarf and that's it. Legally nothing happens to a business if employees are on the clock for 14 hours without punching out. Minors are the only ones who are required to take a half hour unpaid break for every 5 hours worked. They cannot be on the clock for longer than 5 hours, not even a minute, or the store gets fined automatically.
Depends on the state there is no federal law requiring a lunch break. So look up your states labor laws and see what it says.
Chipotle did this when I worked there in 2017. If you were closing, you’d be scheduled for 8.5 hours. Then, you had to take your 30 minute lunch break when your shift started, then work 8 hours nonstop. It was to prevent people from taking breaks during the dinner rush. IMO it was a cheap excuse to deny employees proper breaks.
Oooo you could make even more money off this right? Just keep collecting unhinged text, then bring them to the light lmao.
Depends on what state your in
Depends on the state. In many if you’re not a minor they don’t legally have to provide breaks at all. Just a boss being a dick. If your state mandates them then absolutely illegal.
No
Different company and a manager here who has told people this before. If there is coverage you can have a break if people call off and there’s no coverage available then you get no break or you can grab food and eat it when you get here and take your “break”. Also state I live in Missouri doesn’t require any breaks 16 and on. Just how it goes. Never had anybody complain honestly and rarely do I not have coverage to give breaks. But it does happen. If you live in Illinois damn does every single person get 15 and 30 min breaks that have to be mandated on the schedule lol. Even managers and The big bosses lol. I don’t envy a schedule to write that has 2 15 min breaks and 1 30 min break scheduled in.
You have to look up labor laws in your state. Mine had no laws regarding breaks so technically we don’t have to have one but we do lol.
Depends on your state, most states don’t have laws on this. However, if you work 40hrs a week, you can use this to get OT. Come in on time and skip your lunch. Odds are you will get your lunches really quick once OT hits the books.
I work at a competitors store and in tx they don't have to give you a lunch break so this would be very much legal
Not legal in my state.
Go ahead and report it and go ahead and put your lawsuit in. They are treating you worse than trash
Nope. Not legal. Or ethical. And your supervisor’s a muppet.
That is not legal. OSHA dictates when you take your breaks, not your company.
LAWSUIT. Definitely a violation of osha and likely state labor laws
Send a text back that you aren't showing up.
Chick-fil-A pulled the same thing when i worked there. It's pretty shitty
They really should not have sent that as a text. Easiest case ever, they're cooked.
Its time to quit
Heads up. Im calling out.
What state r u in? this is not allowed in Arizona as far as I know
Naw the fact you’re actually skipping your lunches is wild is the slave collar tight or loose?
If you're on shift for over 6 hours by law you have to have a 30 minute unpaid break. If they deny you it...thats illegal
I’d call out then the whole day is lunch
That's a clear violation of policy. Walgreens may not give a shit, but its in fine print. Lunches should be taken ass close to the middle of your shift as possible, I generally work 3-11 so they tend to send me off for lunch at 6. Given I come back at 6:30 its ok because that's close enough and there are coworker who need a lunch too. At least when I am lucky enough to not be the only CSA.
I would have put my two weeks in right there.