Working Too Hard? Take a PAID Break!
Many employees don’t even know they are entitled to paid breaks. Are you one of them? It can be difficult to keep up with the ever changing field of laws that govern the workplace, but when it comes to your health and your paycheck you will want to be clear on this one. Labor law SB435 dictates new guidelines for break time for all employees.
This may just be a freebie for many workers to enjoy but for those working in strenuous fields it can be a must for protecting their health. If you are working in the heat or manual labor, you now have the right to crucial rest time to recover. One of the largest changes provided by SB 435 is the redefining of “rest period.” You can no longer be required to perform indoor or desk duties while “cooling off.” You have a lawfully protected rest period in which you have NO work to perform. This must be a paid break as well and cannot be combined with your lunch period.
You should keep in mind that because you are being paid, the company DOES have the right to dictate whether or not you must stay on-site; this could mean that they can limit your smoking as you may work in a facility that is non-smoking.
Any employee working at least four hours is now entitled to a paid rest period. If however you work three or fewer hours you are not entitled to a rest period.
There are of course exceptions to all rules, and if you work in a care facility or on 12 hour shifts your guidelines may be different. The bottom line on this, as with all legal matters, is that the best course of action is to have great counsel. If you believe that you have been deprived of breaks or the pay required, we may be able to help you collect the wages owed, along with interest and penalties.
Contact United Employees Law Group today. We will go over your case and give you a better understanding of your options for recourse.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Dean Drobot