By Emil Davtyan, Founder and Managing Attorney, D.Law
LOS ANGELES, May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- If you work in California and you're forced into skipping lunch, eating at your desk, or constantly clocking out to take late lunch breaks, you might think it's just the cost of being a team player.
But here's the truth: under California labor law, these "little sacrifices" often signal something more serious and a potential wage and hour violation that could entitle you to significant back pay and penalties.
Before I became an employment lawyer, I was an hourly worker in several industries. At the time, I never thought there were laws out there to protect workers like me, who were asked to work through lunch breaks or not to leave the premises while on break. Unfortunately, I went through all of this and felt that if I spoke up, retaliation was next.
Now as an experienced employment attorney who's helped countless workers across industries hold employers accountable, I can tell you this: the road to a lawsuit often starts with lunch.
Here's a simple checklist of common red flags to help you assess whether your employer might be violating California's strict meal and rest break laws, and what you can do to protect yourself if they are.
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