Employers are required to provide at least one 30-minute break for a meal after every five hours that an employee has worked. Employees are entitled to a 10-minute paid rest break for every 4 hours worked.The break should ideally be provided in the middle of the 4-hour period. Call the San Bernardino employment lawyers at The Dominguez Firm for a FREE consultation at today. 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. Under wage and hour law, non-exempt employees need to get a 30-minute lunch or meal break if they work beyond five hours in one day. Labor Commissioner's Office, Wages, breaks, retaliation and labor laws, . This violates California law. For more information on California minimum wage.