A mandatory downtime (or rest break as it is more commonly referred to) is an uninterrupted period of rest for an employee during which work should not be undertaken. Mandatory downtime should allow an employee to be away from their workstation and the break should be continuous.
Some workers, for example workers who have to deal with an emergency incident, often have to miss their break. When this happens, they must be allowed “compensatory rest” for the same amount of time as the missed break. They should be allowed to take this break as soon as possible.   Any compensatory rest must be a genuine break from work and must, as far as possible, be free from any work.