<p>I did not say that the OP will be successful quickly. But if her current job is as precarious as implied*, she could lose it any time, so being continuously on the lookout for another, less precarious, job would be the prudent thing to do. Better to start now than wait until being terminated from the current job.</p>
<p>*The OP is afraid to ask for a completely reasonable and cost-free accommodation for a disability. The implication is that, to her employer, she is not valued and easily replaced. That means that the OP is unlikely to be in that job for long anyway.</p>
You better believe they can! I spent the most horrible six months of my life last year working for a woman who has basically made a career of this. She knows the employment laws inside and out and knows exactly how far she can go before she crosses any lines, although upper management started to get an inkling that all was not well when I was the fourth person to either transfer or retire in the nine months she had been in charge. It was a pretty traumatic experience and I’ve kept a very low profile in my new department.</p>
<p>Reading along on this thread, what has struck me is that only you know the emotional tone of your work environment, as well as whether this would be a difficult or reasonable request, and whether your job feels insecure for any other reason. </p>
<p>Given your care in even venturing to ask this question, I’m guessing you are a very careful employee otherwise. </p>
<p>You could certainly test the waters by asking if this might very occasionally be acceptable, as you have appreciated the cafeteria. The other perspective, is that to remain open the cafeteria needs sufficient patrons. </p>
<p>The whole thing is a shame on many levels. We all could use a change of scene in our workday, the walk might do you some good, hampered by the knee or not, and packing a lunch every single day gets old. Even walking to lunch, there is a certain amount of camaraderie with co workers that can add to the pleasure of the workday.</p>
<p>Perhaps the OP could suggest to her supervisor (if the supervisor is open to the issue) that they attempt this on a trial basis, then review after a certain period of time (three months). That way, the OP can begin to see what the pattern of use of the new cafeteria is from her co-workers (is it possible others may also start to bring their lunches more frequently?) as they start to use it. And the OP may discover that she really doesn’t mind bringing her lunch 4/5 days a week, so that her compromise of coming in early or staying late really only happens once a week. This may not be so disagreeable with other employees, if there are any who might raise a stink about it. But set a trial period and agree to come back to the supervisor at the end of that period to review the situation. It gives the supervisor an out, if she starts getting feedback from other employees that they don’t think it’s fair, or the supervisor may see the OP is very responsible and diligently using her time as proposed, and allow a continuation on a limited basis.</p>
<p>I have this same job! Seriously, we also have a 30 min lunch break that is inviolate. i would never ask for an exception rather than bring my own lunch, at least not right away. better to bring lunch (why is that so awful? 90% of my coworkers do) and see what happens. it may be that with all the new customers, nobody can use the other cafeteria in 30 minutes and the policy changes. also, I read OP as walks slow, not as disabled. I’m not sure we can assume disability based on a bad knee, or everyone over 55 or so needs ADA accomodations. Myself included in that group.</p>
<p>anyway, with all due sympathy, no, I would just live with it.</p>
<p>I have to agree with the minority who are advising Marian not to even ask. The 30-minute lunch rule seems to be set in stone, and the supervisor would probably be reluctant to make an exception. As others have mentioned, this could be resented by other employees, who are also going to have a hard time getting back and forth to the new cafeteria in 30 minutes. Furthermore, the supervisor may very well be worried about jeopardizing her position by doing this.</p>
<p>It’s a terrible shame, because it is good to get out into a different environment during the day. And it’s a pain to bring lunch every day. But in this case, it seems best not to rock the boat.</p>
<p>I suspect that other employees may start bringing their lunch more often, too. The 30-minute break was already marginal with the cafeteria in the building. The new cafeteria is likely to be even more crowded.</p>
<p>It so depends on the work situation. If you have to ask, it might be a serious issue. I’d sniff around and see if there are any exceptions around that have already made the precedent. </p>
<p>My son works in a similar environment. The food is awesome and they charge only cost so it is a great deal. I don’t know about any 30 minute rule, but the complex where he works is enormous, and yes, 30 minutes would be pushing it to get there, get the food, as it gets crowded there, eat, and get back.</p>
<p>Actually, I am valued (so much so that I got a higher-than-standard bonus last year – something that is rare at this company). However, it is also true that I could easily be replaced. </p>
<p>As NYMomof2 pointed out, in some instances it’s best not to rock the boat.</p>
<p>Maybe it’s OK to ask the supervisor the open question, “what should I do now that the cafe is further away, but the food is great and discounted?” and have the supervisor suggest something.</p>
<p>I learn so much here. I think I’m pretty flexible as an employer but you never know how someone really feels.</p>
<p>We are a self contained building with a kitchen. We do 30 minute lunch, but sometimes people go out and pick up lunch for everyone, or whoever wants it. I don’t really care nor do I set a timer.</p>
<p>Years ago I had a vote if people would prefer an hour for lunch and working until 5, or 30 minutes and leave at 4:30. Every single person voted for the 30 minutes. However, if anyone wanted an hour I wouldn’t care if they wanted to stay until 5. </p>
<p>My one rule is no eating at your desk. Get up and away from the computer, eat with your coworkers, go out for a walk. I know it still happens but they know I feel everyone needs a break.</p>
<p>What’s wrong with eating at your desk? Aren’t they old enough to know where they want to eat lunch? You may be paying their paycheck but don’t you think you are making them feel… small?</p>
<p>We’ve been invaded with insects and mice, mostly from food left around. I don’t “make” them leave, but most of my jobs are on the computer and I think it’s important to take a break off the computer. I’m sure sometimes they do eat at their desks, but I don’t want to foster an atmosphere where people think they “have” to stay chained to their desk all day.</p>
<p>I notice they all also get along a lot better when they eat together. I actually like hearing them laugh and talk from the cafeteria. Since the phones ring so much they can’t really cut all that loose and loud in the work areas.</p>
<p>Insects and mice are indeed a good reason to try to keep food contained in one kitchen or cafe area, where trash it taken out frequently and never allowed to sit overnight. </p>
<p>I agree that it might be good to mention to the supervisor how much everyone enjoys the delicious, subsidized cafe and what, if any, plans there are so folks can continue to enjoy those great meals while the near cafe is being renovated?</p>
<p>I was thinking about this some more, and remembered several incidents from my past. </p>
<p>In one, I was the Manager of Corporate Communications with two lower level managers and 23+ people reporting to me. I was in the first trimester of pregnancy, and chose to take a brief 10 minute or so nap in my office during lunch and eat at my desk instead of going out. There was a curtain over the glass, but people could see in to some degree if they <em>really</em> wanted to. After I did this for a few days, my manager told me that someone had complained to her that I was “sleeping” during the workday.</p>
<p>In the second instance, I was an employee at a small MIS consulting firm. I was what one might call permanent part time: my basic workweek was 3 8-hr days, but I worked more hours when the situation required, sometimes full time. After I had worked there for a number of months, we bought a house and moved. This necessitated my making/taking some phone calls from work to deal with business matters over a few weeks, perhaps 15 minutes per day but not every day. I kept meticulous track of any time I spent doing so and deducted it from my lunch hour. Someone complained to the partner I reported to that I was spending time on personal phone calls. (She knew what I was doing and had no problem with it.) Let me tell you, I was probably the ONLY person in that office who deducted time spent on such things from their hours.</p>
<p>I’ve had more that one boss who was obsessed with people making personal calls at work. One of them actually looked through the office phone records to identify them, and complained to me about my most productive employee spending “too much time” on non-business calls. (My view was that she got at least 50% more high-quality work done than anyone else in that position, so if she unwound by talking to a friend, who cared?) Another accused ME of making personal calls when in fact I wasn’t making ANY, and was working copious extra hours to keep up with the exploding workload. (Staying until 11pm on Fridays to clear my desk and coming in on Saturdays, in addition to extra hours every day and working lunches at the desk. Some of which is not a minor issue when one is commuting from CT to NYC, 2 hrs in each direction!) What I was doing was talking to recruiters, since I expanded my department from 4 to 17 in a matter of months. She thought I looked too relaxed on the phone. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>My experience is that you always have to watch your back. Asking for an accommodation, as I said up-thread, is like painting a target on your back. It doesn’t matter how conscientious, professional, and hardworking you are. And if you are female and an “older” female to boot, you REALLY need to protect yourself. :(</p>
<p>This whole situation reminds me somewhat of what happened when H & I got married and were starting our family. H had already worked for over 20 years at his job and was VERY well-respected. He had also accummulated months of vacation and sick leave. He inquired about how much leave he could take to help with our newborn baby and was told that even though he had TONS of leave, if he took longer than 6 weeks, he’d be seen as ‘dispensible.’ To be a good team player, he came up with a novel approach. He watched our baby M, Tu, Th, and F, bringing baby to my office with lunch (so I could nurse in my closed office), mom would watch baby on Wednesdays. I would come home after work, we’d eat dinner together and he’d go to the office and work 4 hours every night after dinner. On Wednesdays, he’d work all day (a full regular 8 hour day).</p>
<p>The only reason he felt empowered to take the time off was because he had so much seniority and he was NOT easily replacable since no one else had his particular skill set. He still only was able to do this for a very limited period of time.</p>
<p>It is bad to draw attention to oneself in a negative way if one is easily replaced, especially when it’s not easy to get a new job in our 50s and beyond if other aspects of the job are working well.</p>
<p>Consolation’s boss story reminds me of one squadron commander I had in the Air Force, who was rather unpleasant. He didn’t want anyone to get away with not working for a minute, he just knew we were all lazy and trying to get off work. When I was pregnant, I was grounded and had to work as an executive officer for him, for the last three months of my pregnancy. The air conditioning broke for a week, and he made everyone (including me, nine months pregnant) come to work, when it was 110 degrees. And a couple hours after I gave birth, he had two officers show up in my hospital room to debrief what I was going to do for the day. It was weird, I was still bleeding…and they were so embarrassed. During Desert Storm, people would fly for 2-3 weeks, come back for a day or two, and go back out again. On those 1-2 days off, he wanted them to come into the squadron to do work on his basketball court, instead of seeing their families. What a jerk!</p>
<p>Certainly, I cannot respond as an employment atty, but I do have thoughts. Some have said the extra time is a reasonable accommodation for a disability.
First, I’m not certain the “bad knee” Marian describes rises to the level of a disability, without knowing more.
Secondly, even if it is a disability, some present the logic as follows: For Marian to request from boss more time for lunch so she can walk farther to get there (than before) and farther to walk back because of her bad knee.
If I were the boss and was asked that, I’d say No, and point out the convenience of a frig and micro close by, eliminating the need for much walk at all. That seems to eliminate the need for other accommodations to me. Seeking permission for extra time to walk farther because of a bad knee seems inconsistent to me, when a short walk is available.</p>
<p>If you were really valued, then there should be no risk in asking for a cost-free accommodation for a disability. The fact that you fear for your job if you even ask for such a thing indicates otherwise.</p>
<p>If your job is that much at risk for trivial things, look for another job, because your job could easily be gone tomorrow.</p>
<p>Marian,
Could you try to go to cafeteria and see how much time it takes to order food and walk there and back? At worst, bring back food to desk and go back on-line in 30 minutes. If the lines are long, and takes longer, then ask supervisor for extra 5 or 10 minutes. I don’t think I’d even mention the knee.</p>
<p>Busdriver, that boss sounds awful. I’ve had some doozies in my day, but your boss beats them all.</p>
Seriously, we also have a 30 min lunch break that is inviolate. i would never ask for an exception rather than bring my own lunch, at least not right away. better to bring lunch (why is that so awful? 90% of my coworkers do) and see what happens. it may be that with all the new customers, nobody can use the other cafeteria in 30 minutes and the policy changes. also, I read OP as walks slow, not as disabled. I’m not sure we can assume disability based on a bad knee, or everyone over 55 or so needs ADA accomodations. Myself included in that group.</p>