California meal and rest breaks
When California employees are owed a meal period or a rest break, and what employers owe when one is missed.
First meal period
Employees working more than 5 hours get an unpaid, duty-free meal period of at least 30 minutes, starting before the end of the fifth hour. If the workday is 6 hours or less, employer and employee can agree to waive it.
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Second meal period
Employees working more than 10 hours get a second 30-minute meal period, starting before the end of the tenth hour. It can be waived if the workday is 12 hours or less and the first meal period wasn't waived.
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Rest breaks
Employees get a paid 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked or major fraction of 4 hours. No rest break is required for a workday under 3.5 hours.
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Missed breaks
For each workday a required meal period isn't provided, the employer owes 1 extra hour of pay at the regular rate. A separate extra hour is owed for each workday a required rest break isn't provided.
Not yet checked against the primary source
This is a summary of state law. Cities can require more, and exceptions apply to some industries. It isn't legal advice.