Question:
Quite a dilemma: I work in a 2 sided industry, one side is a lab, the other administration.
The lab is allowed 2 fifteen minute breaks since they cannot eat or drink at thier workstations. the Administration side has no breaks because we can eat or drink at our desks, however, we cannot smoke. Is this equal treatment? I think not.

Choices:
Agree

 

What kind of fascists do you work for - who would not allow some of their employees a single break? I assume that they have to allow all of you unlimited bathroom breaks, right?

what would they do if you simple went outside for
say, some "fresh air"? could they stop you from doing that??? anywhere that requires you to stay at your workstation for a break is not really giving you a break.

It is pretty questionable what the definition of a "break" is. In legal terms one is still on the payroll and subject to the employers definition of "break". Not like the federal mandated "lunch" which requires a minimum 30 minute "break" for which you are not on the payroll and it is your own time. I do not suggest one to go to a beer hall and come back to work. That opportunity is reserved for the "3 martini" boss. It is called "client research" and is tax deductable...... The rest of the time you go out and smoke when you want..as opposed to the time wasted by those hanging around the coffee "break" room...or the water cooler...however if one is a player on an assembly line....you would be a problem when you went on break. Conventional wisdom gives the employee a latitude on this. If you work in a lab do you have to "dress down" to have a smoke?