If you work over 5 hours in a day, you are entitled to a meal break of at least 30 minutes that must start before the end of the fifth hour of your shift. Workers have a right to at least a 30minute meal break or each 6 hours worked in a calendar day.Most California workers must receive the following breaks: An uninterrupted 30-minute unpaid meal break when working more than five hours in a day. 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. Employer and employees may agree to break down the 10 minutes of rest into smaller breaks, as long as they add up to 10 minutes during the 4-hour work period. Federal law does not require lunch or coffee breaks. Employees who work no more than 5 hours get no meal period. That means in an 8hour shift, an employee would have two rest breaks and one meal break. During this meal period, employees must be relieved of all work duties and be free to leave the workplace. Doubletime pay is required for hours exceeding twelve in a single workday.