Meal & Rest Break Violations

Los Angeles Meal & Rest Break Violation Lawyers

Standing Up for the Working Class & Underrepresented

California employment laws guarantee most workers certain unpaid lunch periods and paid break times throughout the average shift. To try to squeeze more production out of hard-working employees, some dishonest employers will make employees work through their rest periods, or they will not allow them to take a break at all. If this has happened to you, then it is time to take legal action.

The Barkhordarian Law Firm is here to help workers in Los Angeles get the compensation and justice that they deserve. If your employer has cheated you out of meals and breaks, then you could be owed significant compensation. In fact, you could be the one who starts a class action that protects the rights of all your coworkers!

Meal & Rest Requirements in California

In California, all eligible employees must be provided a 30-minute meal break, unpaid, every 5 hours if they work more than 6 hours. Employees must also be given the option to take a paid 10-minute break every 4 hours worked.

During a meal or rest break, an employer must not:

• Instruct the employee to return from the break early.
• Interrupt the break outside of an emergency.
• Make the employee discuss work-related duties.
• Require the employee to stay on the premises.
• Coerce the employee to clock out for a 10-minute break.

Additionally, an employee who works a 10-hour shift can take a second 30-minute meal break. However, the employee can willingly waive this second meal break, but only if that employee did take a first meal break. Also, in many situations, the first 30-minute unpaid meal break must occur within the first 6 hours of a shift, regardless of that shift’s total duration.

Compensation for Unpaid Breaks & Interrupted Lunches

The rules surrounding meal and rest breaks can be a bit unclear, especially if you are working your first job in California. Some employers will take advantage of your uncertainty and try to convince you that you are not owed a meal or rest break. Essentially, they will be stealing benefits and wages from you! Thankfully, California employment law allows workers to seek compensation if they have not been provided with their full break benefits as required by law.

A successful meal and rest break claim or lawsuit could result in:

• You being paid lost wages if you worked during your lunch.
• Your employer paying per violation.
• Your employer updating HR policies to ensure no such violations happen in the future.
• Your coworkers receiving the same awards or updated benefits that you do.

We Work Hard for Our Clients

Our Los Angeles meal and rest break violation attorneys are standing by to assist you with your case. If your employer did not give you the legal number of breaks and lunches owed to you, then we want to know. Even if the break violations only occurred a few times, it is unacceptable and might constitute a claim against the employer.