For shifts 10 hours or longer, an employee is entitled to two 30-minute breaks. An employee is not entitled to any breaks if their shift is 5 hours or less.Temporary layoff rules do not apply to school workers and school bus drivers when the summer break exceeds 59 days. DISCRIMINATION. Most employees (there are some exemptions) can take one 30minute break for a meal, in their first five hours of work. Employers required to pay minimum wage. 16 (1) An employer must pay an employee at least the minimum wage as set out in sections 16.1 and 16.2. If an employer and an employee agree, the break may be taken in 2 periods of at least 15 minutes. Explore our Glossary for Employment Law in Alberta, designed in plain language for everyday understanding. Simplified legal terms for non-lawyers. 1.1. Farm or ranch employee exemptions. 1.2.