If you work less than 6 hours, you can work right through and leave early, if your employer allows it.

If you work over 6, you must take lunch. Thatis federal law.

PS: This is NOT a dumb question.

No, by law you have to take a 20 minute break every 6 hrs.

Depends on whether you're paid for the lunch break and your CONTRACTED hours of work.

If you don't work within your contract, you are in breach and can be disciplined.

Some places will allow this to happen for special circumstances but overall companies want you to be there during the full time period. If everyone was to do this then the place would close down an hour early, which may not be good for business. Also, it is generally agreed that employees need breaks to be more productive. If you didn't have a lunch break you would be eating, drinking, etc. at your desk and not being as productive as you should be. Again, you will find some companies that allow this so you can leave for an appointment and not be docked pay especially if your are hourly. I hope this helps and wish you the best. Good luck

It would depend first of all on your state laws. Some states require employers to give employees regularly scheduled breaks for every certain number of hours worked. Other states don't.

In addition to that, though, you'll have to adhere to company policy. If your boss doesn't like to see employees leaving the building earlier than their scheduled quitting time, he might tell you you can't -- even though you're perfectly willing to put in 8 straight hours. It's up to him to set his own guidelines.

It is not normal - you have to take a break by law after X hours (sorry, can't remember how many). Also, the office needs to be open until 5pm - the management can not allow everyone to go at 4, so why should they let you go at 4?

From a management point of view - staff are more productive in the afternoon if they have had a break.