Ford to Monitor Union Member's 48 Minute Bathroom Breaks
A another example of the hyper-technical rules being developed in the area of employee’s breaks, Ford management has recently issued a memo that the 3,500 Wayne, Mich., factory’s hourly workers are spending more than the 48 minutes allotted per shift to use the bathroom (click here for article). The 48 minute bathroom break allotment is set by the UAW union contract with Ford.
First, it is astounding that the employees are given a 48 minute allotment to use the bathroom. (And the fact that the contract sets 48 minutes as the magical number illustrates absurd detail surrounding breaks. Why not 45 minutes or 50 minutes?) Second, it is amazing employees are taking more than 48 minutes for bathroom breaks. (If you need a 48 minute allotment to use the bathroom, I would suggest that you should have probably stayed home that day.)
Plaintiff’s allegations that they are not receiving their meal and rest breaks and initiating lawsuits over a minute or two missed during breaks, as employers throughout California have been a target of, is leaving companies no alternative but to monitor every minute of the employee’s working time. As noted in the article, Ford’s management will now be recording the time employee’s spend in the bathroom. It is unfortunate, but employers have no other option when put into this situation.