Under California law (IWC Orders and Labor Code Section 512), employees must be provided with no less than a thirty-minute meal period when the work period is more than five hours (more than six hours for employees in the motion picture industry covered by IWC Order 12-2001).
You cannot employ someone for a work period of more than five hours without providing an unpaid, off-duty meal period of at least 30 minutes. The first meal period must be provided no later than the end of the employee's fifth hour of work.
Effective January 1, 2024, at the time of hiring employers must include information about the existence of a federal or state emergency or disaster declaration applicable to the county or counties where the employee is to be employed, that was issued within 30 days before the employee's first day of employment, that ...
California has been at the vanguard of progressive and innovative protections for fast food workers. Alongside establishing a first-in-the nation Fast Food Council, the state raised the minimum wage for California fast food workers to $20/hour effective April 1, 2024.
File a wage claim and learn about labor rights. Report labor law violations. File a retaliation or discrimination complaint. You may call 833-LCO-INFO (833-526-4636), or visit the office nearest you – search by alphabetical listing of cities, locations, and communities.
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.