Kroger policy on Breaks/Meal Periods

Date: Feb 7, 2011

Kroger policy on Breaks/Meal Periods

flower child · Veteran Member

I assume the policy is the same in every division. One fifteen minute break (paid) for 6 hours or less. Two fifteen minute breaks taken seperately or as a 30 minute break for 7 hrs and up. You can request a lunch hour (unpaid) to be scheduled, but hardly anyone does that.

Date: Feb 8, 2011

i normally get 1 break (15min, paid), a lunch (30min, unpaid), and another break (15mins, paid) per day on a full 8 hour shift. one roughly every 2-3 hours. They are bad about giving last break only 15 mins before your shift is over, though.

We are scheduled for 8 1/2 hours per day.

With a 5 hour shift you get 1 break(scheduled 5hr). with a 6 or 7 you get 1 break and 1 lunch(scheduled +1/2hour).

on the front end they tell them when to go on breaks and the departments decide their own break times. They normally keep the same cycle of 2-3 hours between breaks.

This is for our store in southern WV.

Drew P Weiner · Senior Member

Anonymous wrote:

i normally get 1 break (15min, paid), a lunch (30min, unpaid), and another break (15mins, paid) per day on a full 8 hour shift. one roughly every 2-3 hours. They are bad about giving last break only 15 mins before your shift is over, though.

We are scheduled for 8 1/2 hours per day.

With a 5 hour shift you get 1 break(scheduled 5hr). with a 6 or 7 you get 1 break and 1 lunch(scheduled +1/2hour).

on the front end they tell them when to go on breaks and the departments decide their own break times. They normally keep the same cycle of 2-3 hours between breaks.

This is for our store in southern WV.

Ours is the same.

If you work any department other than front end, you can pretty much pick and choose when you go to break. The problem at our store is that if you are somebody the front end likes to call up, they get kinda pissy if you don't tell them when you go to break.

Another thing (and this varies from store to store) is some people will take their last break 15 minutes before the end of their shift or even seven minutes earlier than that since you are allowed to clock out seven minutes early and still get paid. (Ex: work 10:30-7, clock out for break at 6:37, clock in at 6:52, clock out at 6:53). You kinda run a slippery slope doing this because management can write you up if they wanted to enforce the contract.

Fat Boy · Senior Member

I think every where it's the same. repeating basically what every one else said.

4-5 hours 1 15 minute break
6-7 hours 1 15 minute break, and an optional lunch
7+ hours 2 15 minute breaks, and a lunch (not optional in our contract)

If they are not following the contract, first talk to your department head, if nothing then talk to your steward as well as a member of management.

Being new at kroger there is only one thing I can tell you about. Make sure you stand up for yourself, because no one is going to do it for you. But make sure that you pick your battles wisely. It's easy to get on kroger managements bad side and they will make your life hell. They talk about being green, however there aren't many if any managers that give a **** about employees.

We are tools to be used until we dont' work anymore and then thrown away.

Bitter? possibly

Oboro718 · Senior Member

Front end employees get the shaft on breaks. Period. I've had managers literally scream in my face for sending people on break. However, weather it's busy or not, MINORS MUST GET THEIR BREAKS ON TIME! If I don't get the minors out for breaks on time we will get fined. It's my daily mantra to the managers. Their reply: If they didn't want to work why are they here? It's so dang frustrating!

Date: Oct 5, 2013

Work eight hours, scheduled, told only one break and an optional lunch. no second break is offered. Need to KNOW, not "I think". What is Kroger "policy" for front-end employees?

Date: Oct 5, 2013

Reviewed our contract, did not see a definite policy dictating an actual schedule. Where is it in the contract book? The wording of the contract is AMBIGUOUS, and as I see it, open to interpretation by management.

techelite · Guru

It's really a mix of labor laws and contract language. Here in TN, local 1995, adults get:
4hr to 5hr45min -> 1x15 min break
6hr -> 1x15 min break and 1x30 min lunch with the option of skipping the lunch (but NOT substituting a break for it)
6hr15min to 7hr45min -> 1x15 min break and 1x30 min lunch
8hr to 9hr ->2x15 min breaks and 1x30 min lunch

for minors the rules are the exact same without the option to skip the lunch for a 6hr shift

Date: Oct 5, 2013

Kiki wrote:
I'm a new employee who is just wondering what the Kroger store policy is on breaks and meal periods. I worked 8 hours and was given (grudgingly) one 15-minute break (only after I requested one). I'm in Kentucky.

Kentucky labor laws state that if you work 8 hours, you must be given two breaks and a lunch. For work up to 6 hours, you get one break. Anything over 6 hours you get two breaks. If you are scheduled something like 8:00am-4:30pm you would get a 15 minute break in the morning, a 30 minute lunch sometime between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, and then another 15 minute break later that afternoon.

Kentucky employers must provide employees with a rest period of at least 10 minutes during each four hours of work. The rest period is a paid break. KY Div. of Employment Standards Regulations.

Employers must also provide a reasonable period for a meal no sooner than the third nor later than the fifth hour of a work shift unless it has mutually agreed with the employee to some other arrangement. (Reasonable is not defined by law.) A meal period does not have to be paid so long as the employee is relieved of all duties during the break. KY Div. of Employment Standards Regulations.

Date: Mar 23, 2018

In Alaska they make people have lunches when you have five hours and when I was hired I was told I didnt need to take a lunch only a break. Six hours or more its mandatory for a lunch. It also shows on the state policy page when you do your reasearch. Also they failed to give me a break and other emplovers are going through the same **** in other departments. The hire ups show no respect to there employees.

UC151 · Guru

Up by me, easiest way to remember it is "you work an hour, you get a break" as that's how our contract is stipulated, even if your working 3 hours or more. Anything over 7 earns two 15 minute paid breaks. Lunches are only for minors, but when the Front End Supervisor or service desk says "send X on lunch now" they mean now.

Date: Mar 24, 2018

Around here, it's unofficial policy to keep any kind of contract or handbook secret.

That way, they can make up any rule they want whenever they want.

Date: Apr 2, 2018

It depends on your local union contract and local laws. Here in the Houston Division, you get one 15 minute break. If you work more than 6 hours you get 2 15 minute breaks. And they have to be "as close to the middle of your shift as possible". So basically whenever they want. We don't get lunches over here. I know most other Divisions do. So again it depends.

Date: Jun 16, 2018

Just wondering why my store (or others) have us punch out for a 15 min break??? I've never heard of any other employer doing such a thing.30 min lunch... Yes, but 15 minutes break?

Date: Oct 18, 2020

In Nevada we aren't given a lunch or option for lunch. The only people who get one is pharmacy because they're part of something different. My store likes to work our gas station in the parking lot like we dont matter at all. 8 hour morning shifts get 1 break from bookkeeping when they come out in the morning for books, and 1 when your mid shift cover gets in. But they like to make it where if theres no mid shift that day and you're working the full 8 hours. You can get your 1 break from bookkeeping but good luck getting anything else. Even when you radio inside the store to remind them that you need a break.

Date: Jan 7, 2021

Isn't it against labor laws of the whole country that if you work 6 hrs you are REQUIRED to get a 30 minute Lunch and 2 15 minute breaks, like legally that is what the law says. I honestly think Kroger should be reported to the labor commission for this! when I first started I honestly thought this company may be a good company but I am now currently looking for a new job not cause I don't like my coworkers but the policies are not sitting right with me.

Date: Jan 8, 2021

Laws regarding breaks and such are set by the states.