Meal breaks are different from rest breaks, and you need to know the laws concerning both

Breaks are an essential part of any employment – no matter the ranking and type of job it is. Across the United States, companies offer both rest and meal breaks to help employees with their work and responsibilities throughout their work shifts.

Amid all the employment and company policies hiring managers need to keep tabs on, the basic facts and information on meal and rest breaks mustn't be lost on HR managers. Listed below are the 10 essential facts every Californian HR leader should know. But first:

Meal and rest breaks – the difference

A meal break is different from rest breaks and should not be interchanged with each other. Like the term itself, a meal break is a period in an employee’s shift where they get uninterrupted time off to spend on personal matters such as errands, meals, rest, or anything else they wish to do.

Meanwhile, a rest break is a quick break that allows employees to rest and step back from their work throughout their daily shift. It is usually offered to employees every four hours they have worked a shift. The main difference between the rest and meal breaks is the length of the break. The rest break is shorter compared to meal breaks.

According to the US Department of Labor, lunch and coffee breaks are not mandatory under federal laws called the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). However, if employers offer a rest break, the company is expected to compensate...

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