Can a manager chime in on the madness of mandatory hr breaks?

[MAKAVELI]

It's all about productivity. Upper management knows forcing an hour will have productivity increase.

 

[fedx]

Very informative thanks.
I guess im also thinking HOS or hours of service regulation when I think DOT.
My point would be HOS regulation does not even come close to the Fedex policy being forced on some of its drivers.
That would be quite the joke in the semi industry if they had to take a hr break after 8 hrs and these guys are driving big rigs, not mini vans.

DOT for semis requires a 1/2 break within the first 8 hours. You also can't drive more than 11 hours or work more than 14. And you have to take at least 10 hours off from the time you go off duty until when you go back on duty.

 

[!Retired!]

1. FMCSA says 30 minutes over 8 hours is required. It says nothing about 60 minutes
2. There isn't a single state, that I have found, that requires 60 minutes over 8.
3. Some states mandate 30 minutes over 6. Some require it over 5....Colorado is one
4. The ONLY difference between a 30 minute break and 60 minutes is, you punch out 30 minutes. It has no bearing on your SPH.

Dano posted the FedEx policy. However, managers do not always know what the actual law is. They tried making us take an hour a while back. The DM came in for a meeting and I asked, in front of all the managers, and a bunch of couriers, what the required break is. She said 30 minutes is required, but we could take 60 IF WE WANTED TO.

 

[thedownhillEXPRESS]

It comes and goes, generally the MD makes the call and the senior can push back. It's always been a thing because when you take a 30min and work over 8 hours, if you look at your time card it shows an error. An unspoken thing is that the push comes when performance needs improvement. If you require hour breaks, generally there will be some people who will drive on part of it and hours will reduced. No one will ever say that officially nor will it ever be written somewhere but it does get discussed. To properly run a station with taking hour breaks you should need more routes but that really isn't an option these days.

It’s exactly this .
People run their breaks , put breaks in their stems, do all their pups on break (pup them quickly in succession after). It’s a forced numbers game.
Just like some people drive like maniacs, leave their trucks running, doors open and not locked ,then they complain when they have to go help someone who follows the rules. Recent Ground transplants seem to be a big demographic that do this .

 

[bacha29]

If you're driving off the clock to a place to eat or something, it's technically personal use time.

If you're driving to your next stop off the clock and finishing your break there, the drive there off the clock is technically forging your hours of service.

But what are the rules regarding you package handlers ?

 

[Fred's Myth]

But what are the rules regarding you package handlers ?

Package handlers don't drive.

 

[thedownhillEXPRESS]

Package handlers don't drive.

DOT, driving or not.
None of that matters.
It’s a legitimate question just like any other workplace and their break rules.
I’m assuming it’s the same as it varies by station.

 

[Fred's Myth]

DOT, driving or not.
None of that matters.
It’s a legitimate question just like any other workplace and their break rules.
I’m assuming it’s the same as it varies by station.

Except package handlers can't drive to their next stop while on break, or work a route during their break, as was described earlier.

 

[DriveInDriveOut]

Most UPS drivers including feeder drivers are required by the company to take an hour break.

If you're driving off the clock to a place to eat or something, it's technically personal use time.

If you're driving to your next stop off the clock and finishing your break there, the drive there off the clock is technically forging your hours of service.

But what are the rules regarding you package handlers ?

What do package handlers have to do with my posts or this thread?

Go drink some coffee or something, you're confused again little lady.

 

[fatboy33]

Forcing a driver to take an hr break if they work past 8 hrs seems highly unethical.
They just reinstated this recently and I would assume its nationwide, why?
Who wants to sit in their van or at taco bell for an hr?
let alone they might be driving a van or truck with no a/c or poor heating in the winter.
No driver wants this. It makes zero sense.
So now a driver is punished for having a busy day or forced to stay out later because they couldnt finish their paperwork in time?
"Well I would have unloaded my truck because they could use the help but I would have been forced to take a hr break so I decided not to."
It is Absolutely insane, it demotivates drivers to actually do their job.
The only reasoning I have heard is to "motivate the driver to get off the clock quicker"
That is very, very sad if that is the case.
Whats the official reasoning for this?
DOT semi drivers dont even need to break like this.

To add, people at my station have already boycotted this and its been made known they are all getting olcc's.

I feel they're forcing that hour to allow that driver to be available in the event someone breaks down or has a situation. However, drivers who feel its gonna be a close call on clocking out before the 8 hour mark are just taking it "safer" and coming in with 45 minutes to an hour of overtime for the day rather than being written up for taking 30 minutes and clocking out at 8 hours and 4 minutes.

 

[zeev]

I was at heavyweight and if I had to work over 8 with an hour brake I would make sure it was very profitable overtime day.

 

[Guitarman01]

I feel they're forcing that hour to allow that driver to be available in the event someone breaks down or has a situation

I would also think some drivers have to wait for prolong periods on their pickups, especially if they have a slower day. Ive seen it at my station, people done early, but then probably have to wait longer than 30 mins on a pickup.
Its another way to have them off the clock.

Also, if someones always in the green, always hustling, shows up every day, makes service,
Should a manager make it an issue with writeups if they clock out with 8hrs 4 mins and a 30 min break?
Is that really in anyones best interest?
Would a station risk losing a driver over this policy?
Has anyone been fired ignoring this policy?
I think its pretty shameful forcing this on some drivers in alot of different situations.
It also just adds more pressure to a job that sometimes has enough of that to begin with.

 

[El Morado Diablo]

I would also think some drivers have to wait for prolong periods on their pickups, especially if they have a slower day. Ive seen it at my station, people done early, but then probably have to wait longer than 30 mins on a pickup.
Its another way to have them off the clock.

Also, if someones always in the green, always hustling, shows up every day, makes service,
Should a manager make it an issue with writeups if they clock out with 8hrs 4 mins and a 30 min break?
Is that really in anyones best interest?
Would a station risk losing a driver over this policy?
Has anyone been fired ignoring this policy?
I think its pretty shameful forcing this on some drivers in alot of different situations.
It also just adds more pressure to a job that sometimes has enough of that to begin with.

They've being doing this for years.

Our workgroup has always pushed back on it. It doesn't work well for busy routes in town or extended routes. In fact, it often adds OT because people slow down when they know they can't finish due to the longer breaks.

We've had plenty of people ignore it and they've never been written up. If your manager does write you up they will likely phrase it as insubordination for not following management directions rather than breaking some non-existent break policy.

*** That being said, we all know people who have the time to take hour breaks but never do no matter how busy they are. These are the people who are wasting the hours management is trying to save.

 

[SmithBarney]

Our station pushed back hard, and MD agreed to allow 30min, the only stipulation was if service started to fail(more than normal) they'd fall back to hr breaks.

 

[floridays]

Is that an updated version? I don’t remember it reading like that before. It’s been around five(?) years since I last looked up the policy.

I read this before I took a break from this place, two weeks ago.

Monday July 18, still no response from @59 Dano, after he initially searched you out to correct you.

What is the revision date of this policy @59 Dano?

 

[SmithBarney]

My senior manager told me we could drive five minutes after the previous stop to wherever we take a break. Then we need to be five minutes from the stop right after a break. I doubt that this is anywhere in black and white.

And aren’t 30 and 60 minute breaks required by DOT regs?

DOT requires 30.

As for the 5 min rule... it really depends. for example I deliver two different towns that are 30 minutes apart, I take my break at a public park in between those two towns, so I drive 15 minutes, break, then drive 15 minutes to the next town. There are exceptions to these "rules" and most of the time if you can justify the time very easy now with GPS, but if they see the stop before break is 30 miles from the stop after break, they'll understand.

 

[!Retired!]

Our station pushed back hard, and MD agreed to allow 30min, the only stipulation was if service started to fail(more than normal) they'd fall back to hr breaks.

Ask to see the policy. I remember looking a few times, but saw nothing. Since the time they tried to make us take an hour failed, I had no reason to look again.

 

[fedx]

They've being doing this for years.

Our workgroup has always pushed back on it. It doesn't work well for busy routes in town or extended routes. In fact, it often adds OT because people slow down when they know they can't finish due to the longer breaks.

We've had plenty of people ignore it and they've never been written up. If your manager does write you up they will likely phrase it as insubordination for not following management directions rather than breaking some non-existent break policy.

*** That being said, we all know people who have the time to take hour breaks but never do no matter how busy they are. These are the people who are wasting the hours management is trying to save.

I mean if they are so insistent that you take at least an hour break, why not just go ahead and take a 2 hour break? At the very least, I would deliberately slow down so you can't make all your stops on time and then blame it on being required to take an unnecessarily long full hour break that's pointless.

 

[59 Dano]

Ask to see the policy. I remember looking a few times, but saw nothing. Since the time they tried to make us take an hour failed, I had no reason to look again.

The policy is clear. They can implement (and un-implement) 60 minute breaks if they want.

 

[Guitarman01]

The policy is clear. They can implement (and un-implement) 60 minute breaks if they want.

What would be the reasoning as to any benefit to the employee opposed to just keeping them out later and stuck in their van longer?
Does management feel at 8 hrs and 1 minute the driver will be additionally fatigued and require more rest at this point?
Most drivers bring their lunch, most drivers probably dont even need a 30-minute meal break let alone an hour one.
Lets go sit down for a 3-course meal every day, or burger king then an additional 40 minutes in the van,
or lets spend the whole hour in the van because we arent in it enough everyday.

Its policies like this where Fedex might think they're winning, but then they wonder why employees are leaving in droves and they cant keep positions filled.