An actual work question

[k3am]

For exempt employees. 

If you have a working lunch (client meeting, training, whatever), do you consider that your lunch break, or do you consider that work? So say you got into the office at 8 and had a working lunch with a client, would you count that as your lunch break? Or take the time somewhere else/leave early? 

No one here knows or cares when I take my lunches, breaks, when I arrive or leave, but I've got a guilt complex and have been wondering about this. 

[sdlaura]

I consider that my lunch. But I also have no problem coming in late or leaving early anytime I feel like it. This morning I didn't have any meetings till 11 and rolled in at 9:50 am  I very rarely stay in the office till 5 (though I sometimes go home earlier and am working at that time).

[waverly]

My boss has said if my work is done I can leave early every day if I wanted.

I would consider that my lunch break but if I want to leave early because my work is done, I have an appointment, a kid thing, or just because then I would count it as work and leave 30 minutes early. Our lunch break is 30-45 minutes.

[mae0111]

I would consider that work because a working lunch is not a break.

[sandandsea]

I would consider it a working lunch and part of my “8 hours” but I don’t have a clock in/clock out job and routinely work more than 40 hours a week as is expected in my profession.

[mustardseed2007]

I wouldn’t leave early every day I had a work lunch or anything but I wouldn’t consider it a break.

[idahome]

Definitely work and not break time.

[CrazyLucky]

I guess most of my lunches are working lunches, even if only at my desk. I don't take a separate break, but it does release me from any guilt of leaving earlier. I have a similar situation to PPs. I'm not punching a clock, so it's fine as long as I get my work done. You should not feel guilty about a working lunch with a client being work time and not break time. Break time is for mentally unplugging for a bit and you can't do that if you're with a client.

[livinitup]

I consider it “work” but if I eat and have work to do, I usually don't usually take another hour for my “lunch” just because I have to get things done. If I was traveling back to the office and I needed to make a personal stop for a prescription or something, I wouldn’t hesitate to take the time. If I wanted to leave an hour early, I would, because I worked through lunch but most of the time, I just stay because I have work to do and it’s easier to do the work than push it to the next day.

[xctsclrx]

In my company it depends on whether you provided your lunch or if they did and if the meeting is billable or not.

For what you described it sounds like chargeable hours

Anytime my work makes me do something during my time aka lunch it then becomes their time and I can take my time elsewhere.

We do monthly networking sessions during lunch and technology presentations etc and those are optional and are not considered work.

[rere]

I have a lunch meeting today and it is counted as work. I will be running by the grocery this afternoon and talking off to take dd to the dentist since I didn't get the lunch break.

[rere]

I have been both though. Anytime over now is comp time.

[mommyatty]

That’s totally work to me.

[k3am]

Thanks... I know for salary employees, it really doesn't matter. And no one here is tracking or really cares. But I also always want to do the "right" thing, if that makes sense.

Yesterday I had a client lunch with a client that is work to deal with, even though it was just an early holiday/social catch up. (Honestly, with the majority of my clients, lunch with them is the highlight of the day and doesn't feel like work.) I took a walk when I got back, which ended up lasting longer than I initially intended and got a call (that I ignored) and 3 texts from my boss wondering where I was. I didn't tell him. He also only wanted to know where I was because he was cutting out for the day at 2pm. So I shouldn't feel guilty, but still ended up feeling guilty...

[waverly]

k3am, I think given the frequency of the calls and texts that would make me feel guilty/ like I was doing something wrong. All he needed to do was say hey I'm leaving at 2 just FYI unless he had an actual work question which it sounds like he didn't.

[ECB]

If that was a one-off and doesn't happen a lot, I wouldn't worry about it. What's the saying? "Your poor planning doesn't make it an emergency on my part"... His leaving at 2 and wanting to touch base with you doesn't now make it YOUR emergency where you aren't allowed your down time.

To answer your initial question, if I was expected to be IN the office 8 hours a day every day with very little flexibility, I'd probably view that as a "working lunch" and then take time for myself as I felt necessary.

But as to what others said - my job is very flexible and if I had to meet a client for lunch, I wouldn't feel the need/desire to also take a break during the same day for myself.

[mommyatty]

ECB, I have to keep a timesheet just because most of our people bill their time to projects. I don’t necessarily take time for myself later that day, but I do “count” it and then I feel free to take off early one day or whatever. At my old job, it didn’t really matter but I did keep that in my hip pocket in case I ever needed to justify leaving early but never needed it. Mainly because I had no work life balance and never left early from work ever.

[k3am]

ECB , it seems to be happening a lot lately. Honestly, I went for almost a year feeling like I was so busy I couldn't breathe because of the workload that I've had, and within the last month, I've lost more than half of our portfolio (necessary, but still painful), and the associated work load, so I've been taking advantage of the downtime. If I were sitting at my desk, I wouldn't be able to fill 100% of my day, so may as well take a walk while I can.

The rational part of my brain knows that he's likely just freaking out about losing such a big chunk of our portfolio. I've never met a grown adult who handles stress as poorly as he does. But it's November, there's nothing we can do to fix it before year end.

[sdlaura]

Yeah, in that scenario I would say ‘I was working during lunch today, so took some break time after’ or something along those lines.

[mommyatty]

Nov 16, 2022 14:10:21 GMT -5 sdlaura said:

Yeah, in that scenario I would say ‘I was working during lunch today, so took some break time after’ or something along those lines.

Or better yet “I was meeting with a client over lunch to try to ensure we keep the relationships that keep business, so I took a walk afterward to clear my head.”

[waverly]

Nov 16, 2022 14:15:41 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

Nov 16, 2022 14:10:21 GMT -5 sdlaura said:

Yeah, in that scenario I would say ‘I was working during lunch today, so took some break time after’ or something along those lines.

Or better yet “I was meeting with a client over lunch to try to ensure we keep the relationships that keep business, so I took a walk afterward to clear my head.”

I took a walk afterwards to think through the strategy for this client.  P.S. I think saying a break is fine.  But since your boss is nervous, these responses might be more calming to him.