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| Column - F&B Magazine Mandated Breaks and Breastfeeding Easter saw the Government announcing yet further interference in the workplace with their announcement that it will become a legislated requirement for employers to provide two 10 minute paid breaks and one half hour unpaid meal break per eight hour shift. The Government also announced that it would be a requirement where reasonable and practicable to provide appropriate breastfeeding facilities for staff. The Hospitality Association believes that these measures are simply unnecessary as there would be very few hospitality employers who do not provide breaks during an eight hour shift. Naturally these breaks will be timed to fit within customer demands, but no reasonable employer is going to expect their staff to go eight hours straight without a break. Similarly, there does not seem to be an overwhelming outcry from breastfeeding woman coming back into the workplace who are not being accommodated where this is reasonable and practicable. On the face of it this proposal seems to be an unnecessary piece of legislation providing rules and regulations where none are needed, demanded or sought by employees. This proposal seems to be politically correct and ideologically driven. The Hospitality Association provides a lot of employment advice to its members via its Legal Advisor and eight Regional Managers – breaks and breastfeeding simply do not come up as an issue. Phil O’Reilly, Chief Executive of Business New Zealand, has rightly asked the Government to provide evidence of need. Without such evidence the Government should recognise that unnecessary legislation is bad legislation and walk away from it. It is very disappointing that on one hand the Government indicates they are committed to reducing regulatory compliance costs for business, and on the other they announce legislation which is unnecessary but will undoubtedly enhance compliance costs. Bruce H Robertson 1 April 2008 |
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