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. The short answer is no. Alberta's Employment Standards Code (ESC) doesn't require employers to provide non-unionized employees with meal breaks. Employees in Alberta are entitled to rest breaks free from work. Employers must provide at least 30 minutes of break for every 5 hours of work. 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. Proper notice must be given when an employee quits or an employer terminates or temporarily lays off an employee. Laws about hours of work say when and for how long employees can work and when they get breaks and rest days.