Petition · past parliament
Require employers pay employees for mandatory work breaks
Closed
84 signatures
What the petition asks
Under employment law employees have a right to an uninterrupted rest break of at least 20 minutes if they work more than six hours a day. Most employers require staff to take this break, or even longer breaks, often without pay, which leaves many employees financially worse off.
Unpaid work breaks is a particular issue for Keyworkers, who were some of those most at risk during the pandemic. For example, most supermarkets don't pay for the break times of their staff. It is not a legal requirement unless stated in their employee contract. Supermarkets have proven to be one of the most profitable and sustainable businesses during these times, yet they do not pay for breaks even though most have had record profits this year. It's time we start paying for these breaks.
Timeline
| 13 Sep 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 13 Mar 2022 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
84
Status
Closed
Opened
13 Sep 2021
Closed
13 Mar 2022
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.