Going for a smoke? Don't forget to clock out

Workers at a district council in eastern England must now clock off and back on if they take a cigarette break.


(Reuters) Staff at Breckland Council in the eastern English county of Norfolk will no longer be paid for time spent smoking.

Under the new policy, smokers will have to clock off when they go for a smoke break and then clock back on when they're done.

The policy formalized an agreement made in consultation with staff and is aimed at making the issue of smoke breaks fairer for individuals who don't smoke, said the council.

Earlier this year the council surveyed staff to find out if they smoked and if they clocked in and out when they went for a cigarette.

The council discovered one-fifth of workers were taking time out of their day for a cigarette break and about one-third never clocked out or put the breaks down on their time-sheet.

Council staff work on a "flexitime system" that means they take breaks at different times and if they go out to buy a sandwich, or under the new policy have a smoke, they clock in and out by swiping their cards.

"Our flexible working system allows smokers to take smoking breaks without affecting the amount of time spent working and this brings fairness for all," said council leader William Nunn in a statement e-mailed to Reuters.

Breckland Council said staff have viewed the new smoking breaks policy positively, although there has been no one employed to make certain it is enforced.

Smokers' lobby group Forest said everyone was entitled to a break during work and described the plan as "tyrannical," the BBC reported.

"Many smokers believe having the occasional cigarette allows them to refocus," a Forest spokesman told the BBC.

The new smoking policy is permanent but will be reviewed in six months, said the council.

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