CA Court Ruling: Meal & Rest Breaks
The California Supreme Court has ruled that employers must provide meal and rest breaks to employees as proscribed by State law but do not have an obligation in insure that no work is done during those breaks.
The mandate providing breaks is basically a statement of the current requirements. But the second part of the ruling that is newsworthy. Stating that employers do not have to monitor break time for non-work activities settles courtroom wrangling since 2004.
BEST HR PRACTICE: Employers should be aware of work and non-work behavior on breaks to avoid being liable for wage payment if they know or should have known if employees were working.
It is also a sound practice to insure, through routine Management observation, that the breaks are taken by employees. Again, this will reduce exposure to wage claims and is also simply a better management practice.
Publish a clear break policy. Train your Supervisors.
Lance
The mandate providing breaks is basically a statement of the current requirements. But the second part of the ruling that is newsworthy. Stating that employers do not have to monitor break time for non-work activities settles courtroom wrangling since 2004.
BEST HR PRACTICE: Employers should be aware of work and non-work behavior on breaks to avoid being liable for wage payment if they know or should have known if employees were working.
It is also a sound practice to insure, through routine Management observation, that the breaks are taken by employees. Again, this will reduce exposure to wage claims and is also simply a better management practice.
Publish a clear break policy. Train your Supervisors.
Lance
posted by Lance Daly at
12:00 PM
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