Rights to take a break in the catering industry | Legal advice centre

Questioner

I work in a bakery where I don't get any breaks. I can eat whenever I want (as long as there are no customers), but there is no place for the staff to sit down. This means that I have to spend my entire shift standing. These are shifts of between 7 and 11 hours. Is this allowed? The collective labor agreement for the hospitality industry and related companies applies. Thanks in advance for your answer.

Lawyer

No, you are entitled to a break of at least half an hour. During that break you may leave the workplace. The employer does not have to pay for this break. If you are not allowed to leave the workplace, the employer must pay for that time and may therefore not deduct any breaks.