Paid Lunch?

[kevh_uk]

I've recently started a new job as a Maths Teaching Assistant in a school. Since i'm a departmental assistant my role is to not only help out in the class room but also do some clerical work, manage the store cupboard, and do some after school lessons sometimes...

I'm paid a salary (which is horribly low.....�15103 p.a.) but my contract states i'm to work 36 hours a week, i've been starting school at the nasty time of 8.30 and my head of maths says that technically i should be staying til 4.30 so that i'm doing 7 hours a day, 5 days a week making 35 hours, and then says i should be doing an extra hour somewhere too...

My question is...since i'm paid a Salary wage, does that not automatically mean that i get paid for my lunch hour, that's the impression i was always under. If this is the case then it means i could leave at 3.30 every day like everybody else does (admittedly i have been leaving at that time anyway but at least i wouldn't have to feel guilty about it)

[willow74]

This is quite a good article which will help

http://www.troubleatwork.org.uk/ViewADocument.asp?ID=148

[ursula62]

Generally working hours do not include lunch. This should be stated in your contract of employment.

[suzyangel]

This is right, you should stay til 4.30...new guide lines for TA's....your salary ain't bad either!