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. Meal breaks should form part of the work shifts of non-exempt employees in California.Under California law, employers must provide rest breaks for employees who work at least three and a half hours in a day. Generally, exempt workers are entitled to unpaid meal breaks, but not all of them are entitled to rest periods. Under Labor Code 512, non-exempt employees who work more than 5 hours per day must receive a minimum meal break of 30 minutes. If you have worked less than 6 hours in a day, you can agree to forego your meal break. You can also agree to take your meal break while on duty. 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. A: Meal break laws require employers to provide a 30-minute, duty-free meal time for employees who work a minimum of 5 consecutive hours.