An additional 30-minute unpaid meal break when working more than 12 hours in a day. A paid 10-minute rest period for every four hours worked.An employee must be provided with a ten (10) minute uninterrupted rest break for every four (4) hours that they work in a day. Nonexempt California employees must be given a meal or lunch break for a minimum of 30 minutes for shifts longer than five hours. Employers must authorize and permit uninterrupted rest breaks for all nonexempt employees whose total daily work time is at least 3.5 hours. The rest period is based on the total hours worked daily and must be at the minimum rate of a net ten consecutive minutes for each four hour work period. Under Labor Code 512, non-exempt employees who work more than 5 hours per day must receive a minimum meal break of 30 minutes. Every nonexempt employee who has worked over five hours in a day is obligated to receive a meal break. What Are The Rules Around Employee Meal Breaks In California? For most workers, a ten minute break is required for every four hours worked.