Los Angeles Meal & Rest Break Violations Lawyer
We Fight for Los Angeles Workers Denied Legally Required Breaks
When an employer cuts into your breaks, pressures you to skip them, or keeps you on call during what should be off-the-clock time, California law may give you the right to recover. At Laurel Employment Law, APC, we represent workers across Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley who have been denied legally required meal and rest breaks. We work exclusively on behalf of employees, and we take an aggressive, strategic approach to holding employers accountable.
If you believe your employer owes you premium pay for missed breaks, contact us at (310) 929-6371 for a free consultation. There’s no fee unless we recover for you.
What California Law Requires
California sets some of the strongest break protections in the country. Under Labor Code Section 512, employers must generally provide non-exempt employees with an unpaid 30-minute meal period when the workday exceeds five hours and a second 30-minute meal period once the workday exceeds ten hours. Under Labor Code Section 226.7 and applicable wage orders, employees are also entitled to a paid 10-minute rest break for every four hours worked, or major fraction thereof.
Both types of breaks must be duty-free. An employer can’t require an employee to stay on call, monitor a phone, or perform any task during a required break. When a break is interrupted, shortened, or denied, it’s generally a violation regardless of whether the employer intended it.
Common Signs of a Violation
Meal and rest break violations in Los Angeles workplaces often look like this:
- Working through a meal period because staffing was short or a supervisor discouraged breaks
- Remaining reachable during a break by phone, radio, or monitoring system
- Receiving a break late in the shift, after the legally required timing has already passed
- Getting a shortened break lasting fewer than the required 30 or 10 minutes
- Timecards that don’t match reality, recording breaks that were never actually taken
Evidence of a violation can include pay stubs, timecards, work schedules, and messages from supervisors. Even informal communications showing you were expected to stay available can support a claim.
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Read about how our approach to employment law makes a difference in the lives of California workers. To learn more or get started with a consultation, call us at (310) 929-6371 today.
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Why Los Angeles Workers Work With Us
Our founding attorney, Joshua White, spent more than a decade as a corporate executive, including serving as Head of Strategy and General Counsel for a large multinational corporation. That background gives us a clear view of how employers design workplace policies and construct their defenses when those policies are challenged.
Because we represent workers only, we don’t balance competing interests or hedge our strategy. We approach meal and rest break claims efficiently and aggressively, focused on pursuing the full value of our clients’ claims.
How We Evaluate Your Claim
When you contact us, we start by reviewing your pay stubs, work schedules, and timekeeping records to identify missed, late, shortened, or interrupted breaks. That documentation shapes whether a DLSE wage claim or a civil lawsuit is the better path for your situation. A lawsuit generally may open up a broader range of recoverable damages, but the right approach depends on the facts of your case.
Our proprietary case management system keeps your matter moving and keeps you informed at every stage, so you know where things stand without having to chase us for updates.
Get a Free Consultation About Your Meal & Rest Break Claim
If your employer has been denying or cutting short your breaks, you may be owed premium pay for every affected workday going back three years. Contact Laurel Employment Law, APC to discuss your situation with an attorney who works only for employees. We offer free consultations, handle cases on a contingency-fee basis, and provide bilingual assistance for Spanish-speaking clients.
Contact us at (310) 929-6371 to get started.
