Meal and Rest Periods

State and federal laws protect the right of employees to work in a safe and humane setting. One important component of these laws is the right of workers to meal and rest periods.

Protection for California Employees

If you are a California employee, you have certain rights to meal and rest breaks. In California, the state labor code requires employers to provide each employee with meal and rest periods at specified intervals. If you are a “nonexempt” employee (anyone who is not a professional, executive or administrator), you should receive a 30 minute, uninterrupted, duty-free meal break in each block of at least five hours worked, as well as a paid ten-minute break for every four-hour period.

If your employer has interfered with your right to paid meal and rest breaks, you may have a cause of action against your employer. Many employees throughout the U.S. have filed large class action lawsuits as well as individual lawsuits against employers for imposing harsh working conditions on employees.

If your employer has used intimidation, overly burdensome work schedules, or other inappropriate means to deny your right to meal and rest breaks, you may have legal ground for a civil lawsuit. To learn more about your rights, we encourage you to contact an attorney at one of our three office locations.

To schedule a free consultation with a lawyer at our office in San Diego, Orange County, or the San Francisco Bay Area, call Advantage Law Group at (800) 507-9470.

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