Everyone looks forward to their lunch break while at work.
Even if they don’t always use that time to eat lunch.
Indeed, many used that hour to run errands, squeeze in an appointment, or have a quick hello with a friend.
Some even choose to work right through their lunch break.
An admirable decision, but in no way an obligatory one.
With their health in mind, a recent Redditor found an ideal way to make the most of their lunch break.
Unfortunately, a colleague of the original poster (OP) felt that the OP was badly misusing their time and wasn’t afraid to badmouth the OP to the rest of their team.
When even the OP’s parents seemed. to side with their colleague, the OP took to the subReddit “Am I The A**hole” (AITA), where they asked fellow Redditors:
“AITA for taking walks on my lunch break?”
The OP explained why they were shamed by a coworker for how they spent their lunch breaks:
“A few years ago I started a job that was more office based than previous jobs.”
“Because of that, I was moving less and gaining some weight and I am very out of shape.”
“I’m not overweight, but I’m carrying a little more fat than I’m used to and I can tell my cardio ability has gone down.”
“I get a one hour paid lunch per day.”
“A lot of my coworkers eat at their desk and do a little work, like maybe answering an email.”
“But mostly eating.”
“I personally go to my car to eat and then do laps around the parking garage before I go back in.”
“I am never gone for more than an hour, I am back on time.”
“Recently I did my normal routine.”
“I grabbed my lunch, went to my car and ate it, then I started on my walk.”
“I happened to run into a coworker during my walk.”
“He was out there because he forgot something from his car.”
“He stopped me and asked what I was doing.”
“I told him I ate my lunch and now I am taking a walk before my lunch break is over.”
“He didn’t like that answer and said our lunch break is for eating, not walking, and that when I am done eating, I should go back to work.”
“I told him we are given an hour for lunch, I want to use all of it in the best way I can.”
“I think he told other people because then, I’ve been receiving comments before I go on break that I didn’t receive before.”
“I don’t think I was wrong, I’m entitled to my break, all my work gets done on time, I take it at about the same time every day so it’s expected I won’t be available, and I maybe come back to a few non-urgent emails.”
“I have my phone on me in case someone calls for an emergency, which has never happened.”
“I talked to my parents about it, and they both said they work through lunch and I shouldn’t be out walking.”
“But also they’re older and raised in a different time, so I don’t know if I should trust their judgment.”
“It’s paid.”
“I am paid for it.”
“I’m on a salary.”
“My manager doesn’t have an issue, but some people I work with do have an issue knowing I use part of it to walk.”
“So AITA for taking a walk during my lunch break?”
Fellow Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell in this particular situation, by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
The Reddit community stood firmly behind the OP, agreeing they were in no way the a**hole for taking walks during their lunch breaks.
Everyone agreed that the OP’s colleague had no right to shame the OP, who was absolutely correct in maintaining that they could do whatever they wanted during their lunch break, including taking a walk:
“NTA.”
“Your co-worker is an a**.”
“I don’t care if you get an hour for lunch, or only 30 minutes, or if your lunch is paid or unpaid.”
“Your lunch time is your lunch time.”
“Period.”- mpurdey12
“Do you work with a bunch of servile nitwits?”
“Are your parents both lackeys to the man?”
“Don’t answer – these are rhetorical questions!”
“NTA.”- SalaudChaud
“NTA.”
“Lunch hour is your hour.”
“Quick errand, walk around, chain smoke lol it’s your time.”- No_Aerie4466
“NTA.”
“If the job says you get an hour, you get an hour.”
“Keep yourself healthy.”
“If somebody in administration comes down on you for it, look for another job.”- NotOnApprovedList
“NTA.”
“A paid break is still a break, take it.”- VariationOk9359
“NTA.”
“People who work on their lunch breaks are class traitors.”
“Unions fought hard for breaks.”
“Use them however you want, it’s your time!”- loolilool
“NTA.”
“Sounds like the haters need to take a walk themselves.”
“Your ‘lunch break’ is just that—a break.”
“What if someone was fasting?”
“Would they just be expected to work anyway because they can’t eat during work hours?”-Left_Set_5610
“I don’t know a single person who works through lunch unless it’s mandatory for everyone.”
“NTA.”- GirlDad2023_
“I would go to HR.”
“Your unpaid lunch break if yours to do with as you wish.”
“NTA.’
“Their lack of boundaries around their work is not your issue.”
“I’ve done far too much unpaid overtime over the years, such as working through lunch, working after hours.”
“I’m better now at work/life boundaries and I’m so much better for it.”- Maximum-Ear1745
“Sweet Jesus, you’re NTA.”
“It’s your lunch.”
“I’m 61 so no, it’s not an old people thing to work through lunch.”
“Take a walk!”
“This is the silliest thing I’ve ever heard.”- Wakeup_And_Piss
“NTA!”
“What you do on YOUR break is your business!”
“I work from home and regularly take a walk on my break.”
“Why are your co-workers and parents such bootlickers about this?!”
“Keep on strolling.”- ivorleaf
“NTA.”
“Man… f*ck all those corpo-clowns.”
“Take your hour: eat, walk, read a book, practice transcendental meditation, practice sketching.”
“Whatever you want.”
“It’s your break.”- Smooth-Salary-6113
“NTA.”
“My mom takes walks on her breaks too, and she works at a factory with only 30-minute lunches.”
“Your breaks are your own to do as you please.”- acciomotivation
“NTA.”
“Enjoy your peaceful lunch and walks.”
“Of other ppl are too stupid to take a real break, then that’s on them.”- monkey_doodoo
“NTA.”
“If the company gives you an hour for lunch, then you can use that time however you want.”
“I’ll bet those same coworkers are not ‘working’ at their desk during that hour when they’re not eating.”
“You should also get up and stretch your legs during other times of the day because sitting for long hours isn’t healthy.”- Embarrassed_Loss_584
“Generally speaking, it is illegal to force or even encourage someone to work on your break, whether it’s lunch or not.”
“Don’t change what you are doing, and if you keep getting snotty comments and it is something you can (or don’t want to) brush off, go to HR or your boss.”
“NTA.”- Nana-in-OC-7113
“NTA.”
“What in the anti-labor union-loving did I just read?”
“I worked for a state department and we had to take an hour unpaid lunch, unpaid lunch means leave your work area, you are not being paid to work, what in the every loving f*ck?”
“Do not work unpaid.”
“DO NOT WORK UNPAID.”
“If you are asked to work unpaid please contact a legal representative and check the labor codes in your state.”- wilderwesterner44
“NTA.”
“And why the hell does your coworker think he has any right to police you in what you do during your lunch breaks?”- O_rdinar_y
“NTA.”
“And people working during their lunch can be a labor law violation depending on what state you’re in.”- Sarnsquantch
“I am a business owner.”
“If one of my employees got hurt while working when off the clock, it would be a huge liability issue for me.”
“You are doing your employer and their lawyers a solid when you follow the rules.”
“Everyone who is working off of the clock, including your obnoxious coworker, is dead a** wrong.”
“NTA.”- CalamityClambake
“NTA.”
“If you’re of the clock on your break then you can do whatever the (censored) you want on your break.”
“And if they continue harassing you, take notes and go to HR.”- Substantial-Lead-865
“NTA.”
“That’s your time, you can do whatever the hell you want with it.”
“I don’t understand people’s dedication to working themselves to death behind their desk, but it is, in fact, healthier to take a break, stretch your legs, and get your blood flowing when you spend eight hours a day sitting and staring at a computer.”-_Scrooge_Jones_
It’s always a somewhat telling sign when someone is more concerned about what others are doing than their own needs or responsibilities.
What I think is more telling, however, is the fact that the OP felt it was necessary to eat their lunch in their car.
This, and the behavior of their colleague, suggests that perhaps this work environment might not be the healthiest.
And the OP should consider looking elsewhere…