The Unpaid Break Controversy
In many UK workplaces, employees are expected to work an 8-hour day, yet only receive payment for 7 of those hours due to an unpaid break. While this practice is legally permissible under the Working Time Regulations 1998, it raises serious questions about fairness, autonomy, and potential human rights violations, especially when employers go a step further and dictate what an employee can or cannot do during their unpaid time.