<prompt> Human: I think my employer is trying to get some free work from our team. Most of the team is exempt salaried employees. The rest are hourly paid contractors.We have been told that we must take an hour for lunch unpaid each day.Ive worked many salaried positions in the past and Ive never heard of such a thing. I usually just gobble my lunch down in 15 minutes. Im honest about it. I dont consider it part of my work hours and I always work at least 40 hours a week. I feel like Im getting robbed of 5 hours of my time every week. Is this allowed?It was not stated during my interview that this would be required. They just mentioned expectations were an average of 40 hour work weeks.US, MN is jurisdiction matters.Edit: I understand that my employer may require me to take time off for lunch. My questions is must he require time off for lunch.I have a good rapport with my boss. We get together outside of work. Our families know each other. But he can be coniving. He claims he does not have a choice in the matter and has to make us take an hour for lunch. Nothing I read says it is required. Please correct me if Im wrong.This is a software development shop. Ive been in the field for 25 years. It has only been since moving to MN that I have run into places requiring the unpaid hour. Is this a mid-west phenomenon? Maybe this should be an ask reddit question.  <response>: Theyre effectively telling you that you have to be at work for 9 hours, but dont have to work for one of them. There is nothing illegal about that. If you defy that, then while they cant dock your pay for that day, they can certainly terminate you. 