system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Mandatory Unpaid Lunch Breaks Should Be Illegal

I don't know why this seems to bother me much more than anyone else I bring it up to but it does so I'm looking for opposing viewpoints.  

My view is basically that mandatory lunch breaks are effectively part of the job description.  Therefore, paid is fine, optional is fine. But forcing me to take an unpaid lunch between hours that the *employer* determines as acceptable feels wrong regardless of the fact that during that hour I'm allowed to do as I please.  If the employer feels that this hour is so important as to mandate it, whether because they feel that it leads to higher productivity or whether it's some other reason, I fail to see why I shouldn't be compensated. 

-ironically posted during my lunch break :)

Change my view? 

*Edit: I'm really enjoying these discussions, this is my first time interacting on Reddit (long time lurker) and I'm a fan so far.  Thanks!*
gpt
Mandatory lunches exist as legally mandated a protection for workers. Without them the employers were actively not allowing workers to eat or take bathroom breaks at all during long shifts so governments set laws requiring them to get breaks. Also the employers do not tend to set the hours as specifically as you think. Generally they are set by Law with some States actually giving the choice of when to set them to the employee. After X number of hours worked you are entitled to X amount of time off and if you have not taken that break time by Y hours worked your employer is suppose to force you to take the break or otherwise face major legal fines.