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.Most employees (there are some exemptions) can take one 30minute break for a meal, in their first five hours of work. 14(1) Every employer must keep an up-to-date record of the following information for each employee: (a) regular and overtime hours of work;. Get tips and find out what you need to know about Alberta Lunch and Breaks when creating your BC employee handbook. An employee is entitled to one 30-minute paid or unpaid break after the first 5 hours of work for shifts that are between 5 and 10 hours long. (2) An employer must not require an employee to change from one shift to another without at least 24 hours' written notice and 8 hours of rest between shifts. Rather, they must pay only if an employee worked on that day of the week at least five times out of the past nine weeks. What is the minimum wage in Alberta? My employer keeps giving me trouble, demanding that I take a 30 minute break during my 8 hour shift, saying that it's illegal not to take my break.