In California, employees can sue their employer for missed meal and rest breaks, as well as for any other violations of California labor laws. The lawsuit can be filed as a class action or individually, and the employee may be able to recover unpaid wages, penalties, and other damages.
What is the law in California? Under California's meal and rest break law, non-exempt employees are entitled to a 10-minute rest break in a 5-hour shift, but not a meal break.
No, under California law rest period time is based on the total hours worked daily, and only one ten-minute rest period need be authorized for every four hours of work or major fraction thereof.
If HR won't help you, go to your local labor board and report them. And if you do go to your local labor board, talk to a lawyer and let them know what's going on. Also, try and take your 30-minute breaks to show that you're following the law or at least trying to. Plus, it'll give you more evidence against your boss.
Roy Riehl on safety requirements applicable to lunch and rest breaks during an employee's workday. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has neither researched nor issued standards requiring that workers be permitted lunch and rest breaks in the course of their workday.
Most California workers must receive the following breaks: An uninterrupted 30-minute unpaid meal break when working more than five hours in a day. An additional 30-minute unpaid meal break when working more than 12 hours in a day.
California requires employers to provide employees with ten-minute rest breaks for every four hours (or major fraction) worked. Anything over two hours is a “major fraction” of a four-hour period.
You are allowed to skip a 15-minute break at work if you want, but it needs to be your decision. Your employer cannot force you to skip your break. California labor laws require employers to provide the opportunity for their employees to take breaks. Legally, you do not have to take them if you don't want to.
Employers must get an employee's written agreement in advance for taking on duty meals. Workers must also be able to withdraw their consent to this arrangement at any time. In California, ing to labor laws, employees can waive their lunch break if their work shift is six hours or less.