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. Under California law, employers must provide rest breaks for employees who work at least three and a half hours in a day.Meal breaks should form part of the work shifts of non-exempt employees in California. 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. California Lunch Break Laws 2024 – Meal and Rest Breaks Law ; If you have worked for at least 3.5 hours, you are entitled to a 10-minute rest break. Rule: Employers must provide employees with 30-minute breaks after they work for five hours unless the employees work for six hours and waive their breaks. California law requires that Employers record the meal break. This means that the employee should clock out and clock in for the full 30-minute meal break. The California Labor Code provides that employees who work more than five (5) hours in a day are entitled to a thirty (30) minute meal break.