I'm based in the UK.
I recently started work in a care home on night shifts. 7pm-7am. 12 hour shifts. No management in as it's “unsociable hours”
We're supposed to get an hour break to be taken after around 2am. The break is unpaid.
I've heard from coworkers that no one on night shift really takes their break as from 1am-5am there's not really a lot going on. We get the occasional couple of residents who are up and about and also have 2 hourly sleep checks in that time though. Some nights are manic, other nights are a bit more quiet.
Agency staff will always take their breaks, no matter how busy or quiet it is. My coworkers always have something negative to say about this.
I'd much rather be able to leave the floor for an hour and spend it doing whatever I want.
Does this sound right? Or am I overreacting?