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Were you deprived of meal or rest breaks or forced to work through them?

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California Meal Break Law


Under California Meal Break Law, employers are legally required to give all employees at least 30 minutes for a meal break after working no more than five hours. What’s more, after 4 hours of work, employers are also legally required to give all employees a ten-minute paid rest break.


These “meal break laws” and "rest break laws" are some of the least understood by employees and often the most violated by employers. Some less-than-ethical employers will use that lack of understanding on the employee’s part to deny them the breaks to which they are legally entitled. Some employers may threaten to keep workers from reporting it or fighting these violations by telling them they will be fired, deported or their hours will be cut.


California legislators do not tolerate such threats. The law frowns on denied work breaks and it can lead to serious legal consequences for the employer who is guilty of these infractions.


If you aren’t getting the breaks that the law entitles you to, then you need a meal and rest breaks attorney to fight for your rights. There may even be compensation coming to you for unpaid wages if you have had to work through your breaks or you were not paid for your breaks.


Were you denied meal or rest breaks? Tell Us YOUR Story.

Call 844-697-4448

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What Workers are Covered Under California's Meal Break Laws?

Some of employees covered by the California meal break laws include:

  • Full-time employees
  • Part-time employees
  • Contract employees
  • Employees paid by the day or another schedule
  • Legal US citizens
  • Undocumented workers
  • Workers in the US illegally
  • Temporary employees
  • Seasonal employees


If an individual is hired to work for an employer, they are covered under California labor laws.  Every day millions of individuals go to work. Some are salaried while others are paid by the hour or paid by the day. Some workers are directly hired by the company and others are contractors. Some employees are native to the United States and some are not. Some employees have legal documentation to live and work in the United States while others don’t. This means that the undocumented worker is just as entitled to meal and rest breaks as the worker who is a US legal citizen - as long as their employer does not fall into one of the exempt categories.


The specific types of coverage may vary depending on circumstances and contracts between the employer and employee, but there are certain basic rights that all employees are entitled to enjoy - often this includes meal and rest breaks.


Call LFECR to talk about California's Meal & Rest Break Laws.

Call 844-697-4448
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California Meal Break and Rest Break Law

If you feel that you are not being given the rest or meal breaks that you are legally entitled to then you should consult with a workers rights attorney who specializes in California Meal Break Law and California Rest Break Law, like LFECR.


At Lawyers for Employee and Consumer Rights, we will fight for you. If you are in any of the 58 California counties and you feel you are not getting the meal or rest breaks that you should, call us first.


We will review your case for free and give you an honest assessment of what action you can legally take, as well as how we can help you proceed. Don’t wait to see if the situation will sort itself out. Most of the time it doesn’t and you will end up being cheated out of a lot of breaks and wages that you deserve.


Don’t just sit down and take it - the law says you don’t have to. We will fight for you.  Tell Us YOUR Story.

Our Process

  • Call LFECR at 844-697-4448 or fill out the form below after hours.
  • You’ll first speak with a Case Evaluator, who is collecting information that they will share with one of our Case Managers and Employment Lawyers.
  • They will verify this information and ask you further questions. We’ll explain the legal process and guide you along the way – as it’s our job to collect as much information we can so we can get you the justice you deserve. Call us today.


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