In what situations does the “nature or circumstances” exception apply?
A. Following are examples of “nature or circumstances” exceptions and criteria to consider: Example: Jack, a production line worker, normally gets an unpaid 30-minute meal period in which he is relieved from duty. On Tuesday, Jack is the only employee qualified to run the line, and he must keep the machinery running to meet a high-priority customer deadline. He eats his lunch as he works and is paid for the meal period. Example: Margo works in a small retail shop and is normally relieved from duty by another employee so she can go to lunch from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. On Thursday, two other employees call in sick unexpectedly, and Margo is the only employee on duty from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Because of a steady stream of customers in the store, she is unable to take an uninterrupted 30-minute lunch period. She eats her lunch during slow periods, and she is paid for the entire nine-hour shift.
