Is the employer required to provide a meal period?
The employer must provide a meal period of at least 30 consecutive minutes if the employee has worked for 7 or more consecutive hours. However, the Labor Commissioner will exempt the employer from this requirement if one of the following conditions is present: a. complying with this requirement would endanger public safety; b. the duties of the position can only be performed by one employee; c. the employer employs less than 5 employees on that shift at that one business location (this only applies to that particular shift); or, d. the employer’s operation requires that employees be available to respond to urgent conditions, and that the employees are compensated for the meal period.
