Every nonexempt employee who has worked over five hours in a day is obligated to receive a meal break. An additional 30-minute unpaid meal break when working more than 12 hours in a day.A paid 10-minute rest period for every four hours worked. Employers must provide a second meal break of no fewer than 30 minutes for all workdays on which an employee works more than 10 hours. An employee is entitled to a 30 minute meal period whenever he or she works a shift of more than five hours. Workplace Safety and Health, . Labor Commissioner's Office, Wages, breaks, retaliation and labor laws, . If you work over 5 hours in a day, you are entitled to a meal break of at least 30 minutes that must start before the end of the fifth hour of your shift. Paid breaks required for every four hours (or "major fraction thereof") worked. The meal break must begin no later than 4 hours and 59 minutes into a nonexempt employee's shift.