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Meal & Rest Breaks Policy
  1. POLICY

Meal Breaks: Employees who are required to work more than five consecutive hours in a day shall be entitled to a 30 minute meal break. Employees must schedule their meal breaks with their supervisor in advance.

  • Employees who are scheduled to work or be available for work through a meal period will be paid for their meal break. All other meal breaks will be unpaid and not recorded as time worked in employee records.
  1. [Option 1: If employees paid by exception:] Employees must claim time on their time cards for any meal breaks they are required to work through.
  2. [Option 2: If employees paid by positive time entry:] Employees must clock out when taking an unpaid meal break.
  • Employees may not forego their meal break in order to shorten their workday.
  • Coffee and Other Short Rest Breaks: In addition to their meal break, employees are entitled to two paid rest breaks of 15 minutes each per shift of eight or more hours. Employees must schedule their rest breaks with their supervisor in advance.
  • Rest breaks may not be combined with meal breaks or used as an excuse to come in late or leave early.
  • Rest breaks will be recorded as time worked on employee records.
  • Rest breaks may not be combined with other rest or meal breaks. If a rest break is missed, no additional pay or paid time off shall be due the employee.

 

  1. EXCEPTIONS

In accordance with provincial laws, ABC Company may require employees to work without taking a meal or rest break in exceptional circumstances or in the event of an emergency.

 

  1. SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervisors shall be responsible for scheduling meal and rest breaks for each employee and ensuring that records sent to payroll contain correct break information. All supervisors must minimize the necessity of employees working without or through a break period. Supervisors shall be held accountable for ensuring that employees take the breaks provided for under ABC Company policy.

 

  1. VIOLATIONS

All employees found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination from employment.