15/11/2010 - Caution over new smoking rules
An employment law expert is urging employers to be careful while enforcing smoking break rules, to avoid adverse consequences.
Under new rules introduced by Breckland Council in Norfolk, employers are required to clock out every time they go for a cigarette break.
However, Ed Cotton - a partner at Irwin Mitchell - warned that such a move could lead to problems within the workplace.
He suggested organisations should ensure that such rules do not affect the efficiency of their staff.
He explained: "It is unusual for employers to require employees to 'clock out' in order to take smoking breaks. This may be a sign of the increased pressure on public sector employers to achieve efficiency from their staff.
"Given that there is no statutory right to smoking breaks, a more usual approach would be to require employees to use their rest breaks to smoke."
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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