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What Are California Meal and Rest Break Requirements?

Posted on April 3, 2023

<strong>What Are California Meal and Rest Break Requirements?</strong>

California law requires employers to provide their employees with certain meal and rest breaks based on the number of hours worked. If you’re unsure whether your business is in compliance with meal and rest break requirements, it might be beneficial to conduct an HR assessment from one of the top HR consulting firms in California.

Ensuring that your business is operating within compliance with state and federal laws will provide peace of mind and allow you to mitigate issues before they become a legal or financial liability.

Meal and Rest Break Requirements in California

The following are the meal and rest break requirements in California:

  1. Meal Breaks: Employers must provide employees with a 30-minute meal break if they work more than 5 hours a day and a second meal break of 30 minutes if they work more than 10 hours a day. Meal breaks may be waived by mutual consent of both the employer and the employee.
  2. Rest Breaks: Employers must provide employees with a 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked or a major fraction thereof. If possible, rest breaks must be taken in the middle of each work period. For more information or to receive an HR assessment, contact eqHR Solutions, one of the top HR consulting firms in California.  
  3. Off-Duty Breaks: Meal and rest breaks must be off-duty and uninterrupted, meaning the employee must be relieved of all duty during the break period.

It’s important to note that these requirements apply to most California employees, and there are some exemptions for certain industries and positions. Employers who fail to comply with these requirements may be subject to fines, penalties and legal action.

Getting an HR Assessment in California

eqHR Solutions is among the top HR consulting firms in California, providing a wide range of HR services for small and mid-sized businesses. Our team of certified experts can help with short-term tactical needs to fill the gaps in your HR department, or provide long-term strategic assistance to help develop your HR infrastructure from within.

Contact us to schedule an HR assessment.