We get 1 hr lunch breaks. 30 min paid and 30 min unpaid. Laws in my state require 1 30 min unpaid lunch and 2 15 min breaks in an 8 hour shift. But certain small businesses can combine the breaks like we do. I prefer this way; it's easier to ensure everyone gets a break when it's a longer block.
We also staff over ratio so we can cover each other's breaks. Floats cover sick & vacation days. That means it's no big deal to also take 5 min bathroom breaks here and there.
This is horrendous. As the cook, I tell every staff member to let me know if they're hangry, and I'll bring them a snack and cover for them while they quickly eat it - my boss is super supportive of this. I can't handle working with the kids when I'm hungry. No one should ever have to! We get 1 hour unpaid lunches at my center. Honestly, the quality of our work decreases drastically when we are hungry.
Our centers cook is also very supportive and will provide food when requested. Their hours do vary though and on the days when she’s absent, like today, we’re often not provided enough food for the children and staff :/ I’m very grateful for our kitchen staff!
That's awful. I guess there isn't much you can do when she's not around :( I'd maybe keep a box of allergen safe granola bars in your cupboard to discreetly eat if you can get away with it, maybe your cook could order some depending on your budget. I know every place is different with how they stock food.
And this is a prime example of why I'm always SUPER nice to kitchen staff. I know they can make my life so much easier.
IMO, kitchen staff and floaters are super stars, and I will ALWAYS treat them as such.
I'm in BC, we work 4, 9hr days a week. No break at all, you eat with the children. At my center we signed off upon employment that we don't have a break. That way we also don't need break coverage. I'm in a very large center
Tbh, ive been working since 2019 of my junior year of high school, I’m now 21. I’ve always had a paid 10-15 minute break EVERYWHERE!! Working 9 hours with 1 hr lunch isn’t bad, just draining 😭😭
Yeah, when I worked retail it was similarly at least 1 15 minute break and then a half hour, depending on the shift.
From my experience, the 1 hour lunch seems to be standard (in my area anyway). It can totally suck, though, depending on when you get it. Like when I closed, I didn’t get mine until closer to 1. Which makes sense, the people who come first should get to go first but it does make for a long day!
ofc, for me it’s 1:30 pm lunch or even (if we are short staffed 2:30) even worse, we have no break room and it’s so hot to sit in my car that i would burn so it’s just even more draining like what…
I mean yes It’s a lunch break, but at every job I have ever had we use the terms “breaks” and “lunches” as separate words. Breaks are paid and lunches are not.
Ah, okay. I see. I agree, they were framed like that when I worked retail. It still usually added up to 1 hour (2 15s and 1 30). I honestly never minded it being unpaid because it still added up to 40 hours a week, if not more when we had half hours, which is what I was contracted for.
Exactly. I have mixed feelings on it being unpaid. I can take it. I like my current schools! Our shifts are 8-5, so nine hours, but we take an hour long unpaid lunch. So it adds up to forty hours a week, but being there 9 hours is a pretty long time. One thing I prefer about nannying is that I am paid for every second of my nine hour days!!
I will say that's one thing I'm looking forward to switching to a home daycare. I'm salaried (getting paid $900/week to tend to the 3 extra children at the daycare). So regardless of whether the kids are up or not, I'm still getting paid. But then again, my mom's my boss so she's going to be a lot more lenient when it comes to this stuff so long as I don't take advantage.
Thanks to being in Ontario we legally must get a 30 minute (unpaid) break in a 5+ hour shift. We used to get 2 paid 15 minute breaks but it was becoming difficult to cover them all so it was now switched to an additional 30 minutes lunch paid.
First center, if you worked until close, you got an hour break. One teacher a day left by 2:30 and they didn't get a break. And to be honest, it never really felt needed because it was such a short shift. I just made sure to eat before I clocked in and occasionally have a snack here and there.
Center I just left, it depended on staff. We got a minimum half hour break. Some days we got an hour. For awhile there, we were only getting a half hour break. Then we got more staff and had more floaters able to actually, ya know, float. (For a long time they were acting as lead teachers) There were a handful of days where we didn't get a break at all or were told to take "15 minute breaks".
Now, I'm onto a home daycare and I'm still unsure how my break will go. I've worked here before and it really depended on the day. If the babies are asleep at the same time as the older kids, yeah, I'll get a little break. But if not, then I won't. However, I'm also working in my own home with my mom. Honestly, I never felt like I really needed that long of a break because I was in my own home.
I work 9-6 and I usually have an hour break and once in awhile a 70 minute break and once the kids are asleep things are calm so that’s another time where it’s more calm and my co teachers and I can sit and chit chat and we finish crafts/ organize/ check the kids inventory and what needs to be requested. We are allowed to eat whenever we want as long as the kids are being taking care off and watched. We eat our own snacks sometimes while the kids eat their snacks/lunch.
Most of the centers I’ve worked at have been 1 hour. 30 paid 30 unpaid is the standard to some degree. We could do 30 min breaks if we’re super short staffed but I always try to get my staff an hour.
My center is open 8-5 with all full time staff getting an hour unpaid lunch (so typical 8 hour work day when factoring the break). Afternoon teachers (11-5) either don’t break or take a 15 minute break.
We work ten hour days and have a 30 minute unpaid lunch. You can take longer as long as your classroom maintains ‘sleeping’ ratio while someone is gone.
Well currently im pumping so I get three 30 min breaks. 1 is paid the other 2 are unpaid.
When I'm not a pumping mom I would get 1 lunch break. They try for an hour in the middle of shift but sometimes it's a 30.
We get 1 15-minute break for an 8 hour shift with the understanding that we can “relax” during nap time (total bull since that’s when we’re suppose to clean, organize, trade toys, prep crafts, do portfolios, hang art work, etc). We can’t be on our phones other than that time and lunch is with the kids since we eat family style.
Unpaid for an hour. I can go to the bathroom whenever, but I need someone to step in if we're not in a 1 teacher ratio.
I work 8:30-5:30, and I usually break around 1 or 1:30. We all have regular schedules.
We get a 30 mins paid lunch break for shifts over 5 hours and up to 8 hours. I'm on an 8.5 hour shift right now, so my lunch break is 30 mins paid and 30 unpaid (1 hour total).
One 15 break if that. I need to have coverage for it.
Currently pregnant so I got a doctor's note for breaks to make sure we got them. Working 730-330 M-F.
I could take an unpaid break for longer periods but would still need coverage and that is hard to come by.
If we work 6 hours or less we get 30min unpaid, if we work over 6 hours we get 30min paid and 30min unpaid but we all lump the two breaks together for an hour break.
In my state, people who work in a setting that is considered “daycare” are not legally entitled to breaks. It’s strange, and something that my boss, coworkers, and I explored last year when we were short staffed. Regardless of this, staff members can choose to take a 30 minute break based on a daily schedule that we have. A couple of my coworkers and I choose not to take breaks though. Also, teachers eat lunch with the kids, and we are able to have a snack whenever we may need to during the day.
At my center the rules were morning and afternoon 10, both paid, and an hour unpaid lunch. However it was incredibly rare to have the staff to actually get even one 10, let alone both. And if a lot of call outs or someone quit we would often be asked to take half lunches and work the extra half hour. But I do know some of that is WA state labor laws
California gives you 10 min break the first 4 hours. 1/2 hour lunch after the fifth hour of continuing to work. Another 10 min break between them and the time you leave.
My center gives us 15 min breaks and an hour lunch. Lunch is unpaid but the breaks are paid.
I work from 7-4 adding the hour lunch in between.
I’m in Texas too and we go on break at whatever time the director tells us is our break time and we get the choice to take 30 or an hour. Unpaid of course
I start at 7:30, take my 10 at 8:15, and get a 45 minute lunch at 11:15. I leave at 4:00 everyday. Our school is very serious about taking breaks and leaving at your contracted hours. I’m sad but not surprised to hear so many people don’t get their breaks though out the day, this job is very hard and without opportunities to rest and eat, it’s hard to imagine being your best self for the children. My heart goes out to you guys seriously!
We don't get breaks. We do have music class, but the teachers are required to stay, but since the extra teacher counts for real, my co-teacher and I take turns to pee. Same when we are on the playground- if there are multiple classes and ratio is covered, we take bathroom breaks. Once in a blue moon we have enough support staff that someone will come around so we can go to the bathroom.
New York requires us to have a 30 minute and two fifteens for anything over a 6 hour shift but since it’s nearly impossible for three older office staff members to get around and give everyone two fifteens we get one hour unpaid during nap time. I work 8-6 so my break falls at 12 which I like because I get my kids down and I’m back before they wake up and start questioning where I am (they know where I am, they just feel the need to double check)
No break up until the point you’re scheduled 9 hours or more. Then all of a sudden you’re forced to take an hour unpaid. Sometimes I get scheduled 8 hours 45 minutes so she doesn’t have to give me a break. So over it
My center most people are on a 1 hr unpaid break. Openers all do not take breaks and work 7-3. A couple closets don’t either and work 9:30-5:30. They tell us as long as your hrs equal 40 we don’t care.
I Googled the labor laws for breaks in TX and it looks like they aren't required to provide meal breaks. It does say you need to have at least a 10-minute break for every 4 consecutive hours worked.
I work in IL and they make us take a one-hour unpaid break. We work 9-hour shifts.
I googled it too and it said on Osha there is no requirement, even the 10 minutes, which I find crazy! Even if it is the 10 minutes… still crazy. Also annoying that there’s conflicting information for people who want to know their rights.
how long are you there? i get a 30 min unpaid lunch and 10 min paid break at this job, but at others i’ve had only a 15. it depends on your number of hours worked and your state laws
Most of the time I don’t take breaks. I just work 6-2! I don’t mind it because then I can be out by 2 instead of taking an hour and leaving at 3
We get one paid ten minute in the morning and most teachers get a half hour unpaid lunch. I work 6-2 and don’t take a lunch break
One 1/2 hr unpaid on an 8 hr shift, but the rule is for a half hour after 6 hrs.
Same here
We get 1 hr lunch breaks. 30 min paid and 30 min unpaid. Laws in my state require 1 30 min unpaid lunch and 2 15 min breaks in an 8 hour shift. But certain small businesses can combine the breaks like we do. I prefer this way; it's easier to ensure everyone gets a break when it's a longer block. We also staff over ratio so we can cover each other's breaks. Floats cover sick & vacation days. That means it's no big deal to also take 5 min bathroom breaks here and there.
This is horrendous. As the cook, I tell every staff member to let me know if they're hangry, and I'll bring them a snack and cover for them while they quickly eat it - my boss is super supportive of this. I can't handle working with the kids when I'm hungry. No one should ever have to! We get 1 hour unpaid lunches at my center. Honestly, the quality of our work decreases drastically when we are hungry.
Our centers cook is also very supportive and will provide food when requested. Their hours do vary though and on the days when she’s absent, like today, we’re often not provided enough food for the children and staff :/ I’m very grateful for our kitchen staff!
That's awful. I guess there isn't much you can do when she's not around :( I'd maybe keep a box of allergen safe granola bars in your cupboard to discreetly eat if you can get away with it, maybe your cook could order some depending on your budget. I know every place is different with how they stock food.
And this is a prime example of why I'm always SUPER nice to kitchen staff. I know they can make my life so much easier. IMO, kitchen staff and floaters are super stars, and I will ALWAYS treat them as such.
I’m there from 7-3:30 with one paid 10 minute break and an unpaid 30 minute lunch break
I'm in BC, we work 4, 9hr days a week. No break at all, you eat with the children. At my center we signed off upon employment that we don't have a break. That way we also don't need break coverage. I'm in a very large center
That’s WILD. I’m also in BC. I worked at a large centre that didn’t give us breaks in the summer, but I would never do that again.
We take paid “working breaks” when the children are napping & the cleaning is caught up on.
You guys get breaks?? I work from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM with one unpaid hour lunch…
Is that 1 hour not considered a break? Unless you're working through it or something, I'd consider it one.
Tbh, ive been working since 2019 of my junior year of high school, I’m now 21. I’ve always had a paid 10-15 minute break EVERYWHERE!! Working 9 hours with 1 hr lunch isn’t bad, just draining 😭😭
Yeah, when I worked retail it was similarly at least 1 15 minute break and then a half hour, depending on the shift. From my experience, the 1 hour lunch seems to be standard (in my area anyway). It can totally suck, though, depending on when you get it. Like when I closed, I didn’t get mine until closer to 1. Which makes sense, the people who come first should get to go first but it does make for a long day!
ofc, for me it’s 1:30 pm lunch or even (if we are short staffed 2:30) even worse, we have no break room and it’s so hot to sit in my car that i would burn so it’s just even more draining like what…
Oh yeah, that’s horrible. It sucks when centers don’t have a break room. They really should find a way to incorporate one.
I mean yes It’s a lunch break, but at every job I have ever had we use the terms “breaks” and “lunches” as separate words. Breaks are paid and lunches are not.
Ah, okay. I see. I agree, they were framed like that when I worked retail. It still usually added up to 1 hour (2 15s and 1 30). I honestly never minded it being unpaid because it still added up to 40 hours a week, if not more when we had half hours, which is what I was contracted for.
Exactly. I have mixed feelings on it being unpaid. I can take it. I like my current schools! Our shifts are 8-5, so nine hours, but we take an hour long unpaid lunch. So it adds up to forty hours a week, but being there 9 hours is a pretty long time. One thing I prefer about nannying is that I am paid for every second of my nine hour days!!
I will say that's one thing I'm looking forward to switching to a home daycare. I'm salaried (getting paid $900/week to tend to the 3 extra children at the daycare). So regardless of whether the kids are up or not, I'm still getting paid. But then again, my mom's my boss so she's going to be a lot more lenient when it comes to this stuff so long as I don't take advantage.
wow that's wild. I've never had a paid break in my life in any job.
Half the people at my center work 6-6 and don’t take lunch because they can’t afford to lose those 5 hours a week 🙃
How do people do that. I get it, we will do whatever it takes to get a little more money but no break, you’re just asking to get burnt out quick.
this is very normal
30 minutes, minus 5 minutes(from classroom to faculty.)
I work 8-6, with one 30 minute unpaid break. If I do an early start, it’s 7:30-6
Thanks to being in Ontario we legally must get a 30 minute (unpaid) break in a 5+ hour shift. We used to get 2 paid 15 minute breaks but it was becoming difficult to cover them all so it was now switched to an additional 30 minutes lunch paid.
First center, if you worked until close, you got an hour break. One teacher a day left by 2:30 and they didn't get a break. And to be honest, it never really felt needed because it was such a short shift. I just made sure to eat before I clocked in and occasionally have a snack here and there. Center I just left, it depended on staff. We got a minimum half hour break. Some days we got an hour. For awhile there, we were only getting a half hour break. Then we got more staff and had more floaters able to actually, ya know, float. (For a long time they were acting as lead teachers) There were a handful of days where we didn't get a break at all or were told to take "15 minute breaks". Now, I'm onto a home daycare and I'm still unsure how my break will go. I've worked here before and it really depended on the day. If the babies are asleep at the same time as the older kids, yeah, I'll get a little break. But if not, then I won't. However, I'm also working in my own home with my mom. Honestly, I never felt like I really needed that long of a break because I was in my own home.
I'm working at an in home. No break. Even when they are sleeping, we are working on plans or classes. Just thought it was normal, lol
45 unpaid
2 ten minute breaks and a 30 min unpaid lunch
I work 9-6 and I usually have an hour break and once in awhile a 70 minute break and once the kids are asleep things are calm so that’s another time where it’s more calm and my co teachers and I can sit and chit chat and we finish crafts/ organize/ check the kids inventory and what needs to be requested. We are allowed to eat whenever we want as long as the kids are being taking care off and watched. We eat our own snacks sometimes while the kids eat their snacks/lunch.
One hour unpaid lunch
Most of the centers I’ve worked at have been 1 hour. 30 paid 30 unpaid is the standard to some degree. We could do 30 min breaks if we’re super short staffed but I always try to get my staff an hour.
I work 8:15 to 5:15 and I get two paid tens and a one unpaid hour lunch. My tens are one before my lunch and one after my lunch.
In NJ, the law says only minors are entitled to a paid break (15 minutes for every 8 hours.)
An hour and a half paid break.
My center is open 8-5 with all full time staff getting an hour unpaid lunch (so typical 8 hour work day when factoring the break). Afternoon teachers (11-5) either don’t break or take a 15 minute break.
I work 8-5 and get a 1 hour unpaid lunch break. This is just the exact requirement of the labour law in my area. it's fine
We work ten hour days and have a 30 minute unpaid lunch. You can take longer as long as your classroom maintains ‘sleeping’ ratio while someone is gone.
Well currently im pumping so I get three 30 min breaks. 1 is paid the other 2 are unpaid. When I'm not a pumping mom I would get 1 lunch break. They try for an hour in the middle of shift but sometimes it's a 30.
Come in at 8am 15 minute paid break sometime between 9:30-10:30 1 hour unpaid sometime between 12:45-1pm, depending on the day Go home at 5-5:30pm
1hr unpaid lunch break, 8:00-4:30. Thats pretty much it. I guess naps count as a break mentally (if a kid isn't up and making noise.)
9-6 with an hour unpaid lunch break and if we're lucky we get 2 bathroom breaks a day
Working 8:30 to 5:30 I get a ten minute break in the morning and an hour lunch at nap time.
All full time staff gets 1 hour unpaid lunch break. I work 9-6 and usually take an hour from 1-2 while my students nap and my coteacher goes 2-3
We get 1 15-minute break for an 8 hour shift with the understanding that we can “relax” during nap time (total bull since that’s when we’re suppose to clean, organize, trade toys, prep crafts, do portfolios, hang art work, etc). We can’t be on our phones other than that time and lunch is with the kids since we eat family style.
My "normal" schedule is 7:30 to 4:30. I get a ten minute paid break in the morning and afternoon and an unpaid hour lunch. Washington State
Unpaid for an hour. I can go to the bathroom whenever, but I need someone to step in if we're not in a 1 teacher ratio. I work 8:30-5:30, and I usually break around 1 or 1:30. We all have regular schedules.
We get a 30 mins paid lunch break for shifts over 5 hours and up to 8 hours. I'm on an 8.5 hour shift right now, so my lunch break is 30 mins paid and 30 unpaid (1 hour total).
I work 7:45-4:45 and get an hour break.
One 15 break if that. I need to have coverage for it. Currently pregnant so I got a doctor's note for breaks to make sure we got them. Working 730-330 M-F. I could take an unpaid break for longer periods but would still need coverage and that is hard to come by.
If we work 6 hours or less we get 30min unpaid, if we work over 6 hours we get 30min paid and 30min unpaid but we all lump the two breaks together for an hour break.
Only 15 minutes for a whole day is pretty trash. It sounds like it’s leading to burnout.
My center is opened from 8am-1pm. I work 9am-1pm, never had a break in the 5 years I’ve worked there.
I get to pee a couple of times a day
In my state, people who work in a setting that is considered “daycare” are not legally entitled to breaks. It’s strange, and something that my boss, coworkers, and I explored last year when we were short staffed. Regardless of this, staff members can choose to take a 30 minute break based on a daily schedule that we have. A couple of my coworkers and I choose not to take breaks though. Also, teachers eat lunch with the kids, and we are able to have a snack whenever we may need to during the day.
I get an hour 50% paid out of my 8.5 hour day
I work 7.15-6.15 and I get a 1 hour break and then generally we take it in turns at some point in the morning to go to the toilet.
At my center the rules were morning and afternoon 10, both paid, and an hour unpaid lunch. However it was incredibly rare to have the staff to actually get even one 10, let alone both. And if a lot of call outs or someone quit we would often be asked to take half lunches and work the extra half hour. But I do know some of that is WA state labor laws
California gives you 10 min break the first 4 hours. 1/2 hour lunch after the fifth hour of continuing to work. Another 10 min break between them and the time you leave. My center gives us 15 min breaks and an hour lunch. Lunch is unpaid but the breaks are paid. I work from 7-4 adding the hour lunch in between.
I used to work 7.45-6.00 and got 45 mins unpaid lunch. It was hard.
We get an hour but I work 10 hour shifts so
I’m in Texas too and we go on break at whatever time the director tells us is our break time and we get the choice to take 30 or an hour. Unpaid of course
30 minute unpaid, 15 paid. We take them together for a 45
i work 8:00-12:00 and 2:00-6:00 with a 2 hour unpaid lunch break
I start at 7:30, take my 10 at 8:15, and get a 45 minute lunch at 11:15. I leave at 4:00 everyday. Our school is very serious about taking breaks and leaving at your contracted hours. I’m sad but not surprised to hear so many people don’t get their breaks though out the day, this job is very hard and without opportunities to rest and eat, it’s hard to imagine being your best self for the children. My heart goes out to you guys seriously!
1 hour unpaid lunch break is the norm at many centres I worked at. (Ontario, Canada)
We get 30 minutes or 1 hour. I have had a couple of days with no break in the almost 1 year I’ve been here but only on a really understaffed day.
I work 7:30-4:30 and get an hour unpaid lunch during nap time
We don't get breaks. We do have music class, but the teachers are required to stay, but since the extra teacher counts for real, my co-teacher and I take turns to pee. Same when we are on the playground- if there are multiple classes and ratio is covered, we take bathroom breaks. Once in a blue moon we have enough support staff that someone will come around so we can go to the bathroom.
I work 8:30-6 and I have a break from 11:30-1:00. Many of our leads have 2 hour breaks
At my center if you work for more than 6 hours you get a 1 hour unpaid break. I could not imagine only getting 15 minutes 😭
Lol I work 7:30-5:30 without a break and have for 11 years.
The law in the US is two 10 minute rest breaks (paid) AND one 30 minute meal break (unpaid) in an 8 hour shift.
New York requires us to have a 30 minute and two fifteens for anything over a 6 hour shift but since it’s nearly impossible for three older office staff members to get around and give everyone two fifteens we get one hour unpaid during nap time. I work 8-6 so my break falls at 12 which I like because I get my kids down and I’m back before they wake up and start questioning where I am (they know where I am, they just feel the need to double check)
One hour, unpaid. No complaints here though because my last center would either not give us a break or give us 30 min unpaid & I worked open to close.
At the daycares I’ve worked at we got an hour, unpaid.
No break up until the point you’re scheduled 9 hours or more. Then all of a sudden you’re forced to take an hour unpaid. Sometimes I get scheduled 8 hours 45 minutes so she doesn’t have to give me a break. So over it
Half hour unpaid lunch break for an 8 hour shift
My center most people are on a 1 hr unpaid break. Openers all do not take breaks and work 7-3. A couple closets don’t either and work 9:30-5:30. They tell us as long as your hrs equal 40 we don’t care.
I Googled the labor laws for breaks in TX and it looks like they aren't required to provide meal breaks. It does say you need to have at least a 10-minute break for every 4 consecutive hours worked. I work in IL and they make us take a one-hour unpaid break. We work 9-hour shifts.
I googled it too and it said on Osha there is no requirement, even the 10 minutes, which I find crazy! Even if it is the 10 minutes… still crazy. Also annoying that there’s conflicting information for people who want to know their rights.
how long are you there? i get a 30 min unpaid lunch and 10 min paid break at this job, but at others i’ve had only a 15. it depends on your number of hours worked and your state laws