A paid 10-minute rest period for every four hours worked. If you have worked for at least 3.5 hours, you are entitled to a 10-minute rest break.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. For more information on California minimum wage. The California Labor Code requires employers to provide non-exempt employees with a 30-minute, uninterrupted, and off-duty break for every 5 hours of work. Under California Labor Code, employees who work more than five hours in a workday are entitled to a 30minute meal break. The maximum penalty for missed meal breaks and missed rest breaks is two hours of pay per day, no matter how many meal or rest breaks were missed in the day. OLSE provides a free Advice Line for workers and businesses seeking information or assistance with labor standards compliance or workplace issues. Employers must provide their employees with a paid 10-minute rest break for every four hours of work. California also requires a minimum 30-minute off-the-clock meal break for employees working at least five hours in a day.