Encino Denied Workplace Breaks Attorney

California law requires that non-exempt workers be provided with workplace breaks throughout their shifts depending on how long those shifts may be. Unfortunately, some employers don’t obey the law, forcing employees to work when they should not have to.

If you believe your rights as an employee have been violated, discuss your case with an Encino denied workplace breaks attorney. Our team at the Law Offices of Kropach & Kropach will help you hold an employer accountable if they have been taking advantage of you.

Encino Workplace Break Laws: What You Need to Know

California’s Labor Code establishes certain requirements employers must abide by in regard to meal and rest breaks. Although this overview will provide you with some general information on the subject, it’s important to understand that these laws and regulations can be somewhat complex when various factors (such as the amount of time an employee has been working, the classification of an employee, etc.) create “gray areas” where questions about employer responsibility and employee rights may arise.

If you believe your employer has routinely denied you a meal or rest breaks to which you are entitled, but you are not completely certain this is the case, strongly consider scheduling a meeting with an Encino denied workplace breaks attorney. They can explain if you have grounds to seek compensation.

Certain basic details you should know about workplace breaks in California are as follows:

• If an employee works more than five hours a day, an employer must provide them with a meal break of at least 30 minutes, although if an employee only works a total of no more than six hours, they have the option of waiving their meal period as long as both they and their employer consent to this.
• An employee who works 10 hours per day must be provided with a second meal break of at least 30 minutes, although if both the employee and employer give their consent, this second meal break can be waived if an employee will not be working more than 12 hours.
• Employees must be permitted to take rest breaks of 10 minutes per every four hours of work time. However, employees who work less than three-and-a-half (3 ½) hours in a day do not need to be provided with rest breaks.

To understand how these rules might apply in the real world, consider this example. An employee works an eight-hour shift. This entitles them to a 30-minute meal break. It also entitles them to 20 minutes’ worth of paid rest time during their shift. Their employer is breaking the law if they are denied any of these breaks.

What About Exempt Employees?

Again, the nature of the work someone performs can affect whether they may be entitled to breaks of a certain length. If someone is a non-exempt employee under California law, meal and rest break laws do apply to them. This is not the case for all workers.

Exempt employees tend to be those who perform white-collar jobs that involve spending at least half of their work time on tasks that involve management, creative work, or intellectual work. They must regularly be able to exercise their own discretion in regard to when they perform their work, and they must earn a monthly salary equal to at least double California’s minimum wage for full-time employees to be exempt from meal and rest break requirements.

Contact an Encino Denied Workplace Breaks Attorney Today

Once more, knowing if your employer has illegally denied you workplace breaks can be challenging. For more information about these issues, meet with an Encino denied workplace breaks attorney at the Law Offices of Kropach & Kropach. We will determine whether you may have a valid case and if you do, we are prepared to offer effective representation. Learn more about how we can help by contacting us online today or calling us at 818-609-7005 to schedule your free consultation.