I work for a wholesale delivery company. I started in November of last year and today I found out that the company automatically deducts 30 minutes every day, regardless of hours worked, for a “lunch break” regardless of if you ever actually took a break. 2.5 hours a week…since November…Most of which would have been counted as O.T.
Now, I didn't know this was company policy, It was never told to me, and if it is a law for Chauffer's Licensed truck drivers (which they claimed when I enquired about the missing hours), I was not aware of it.
I don't know about other drivers out there, but in order to make deliveries “in a timely manner”, which I am hounded about regularly, I typically just eat behind the wheel as I am driving. I have NEVER taken a break, aside from bathroom breaks. I am of the spicy opinion that if I am doing labor for a company, I should be fairly compensated for that labor.
Do I have a leg to stand on with the state labor board? If one labor law (mandatory breaks) contradicts another (Wage theft), does one supersede the other? I am guessing that whatever benefits the Corporation more will take precedent…