Meal and Rest Break Compliance in California—What Food and Produce Employers Need to Know

When it comes to labor compliance in California, meal and rest break violations continue to be a leading cause of costly lawsuits and fines—especially in fast-moving industries like food service and produce. For employers juggling unpredictable schedules, seasonal surges, and lean staffing, it's easy to overlook the rigid rules surrounding employee breaks. But failing to comply can be an expensive mistake.

California law requires non-exempt employees working more than five hours to receive an uninterrupted 30-minute meal break, and a second meal break if the shift exceeds 10 hours. In addition, workers are entitled to a 10-minute paid rest break for every four hours worked—or major fraction thereof.

Common violations include failing to relieve employees of all duties during breaks, not providing breaks at the proper times, and not documenting break compliance. These infractions often happen unintentionally, especially when supervisors prioritize productivity without understanding the legal consequences.

For food and produce employers, the stakes are higher due to high turnover, language barriers, and inconsistent training. When managers aren’t aligned on break enforcement, or when documentation is lax, it opens the door to class-action claims.

To stay compliant, employers should review and update their meal and rest break policies, train all supervisors and employees, and ensure break periods are clearly tracked and enforced. Digital timekeeping tools can help—but they’re only as good as the people using them.

If you’ve recently expanded operations or adjusted your scheduling practices, now is a good time for a policy audit. Compliance today can prevent major costs tomorrow.

For more information on this topic or to learn how Produce Trust empowers companies working in the produce and food service industries, contact Richard Arias at: richard.arias@apdbla.com