Meal Period Timing Rules

Generally an employee must be given a meal period at least by the end of the fifth hour of work (no later than the beginning of the sixth). If the employee is working for longer than 10 hours they must also get a second meal period at least by the end of the tenth hour of work (no later than the start of the eleventh hour). These rules can be altered by certain waivers based on mutual consent, and apply differently to employees in the motion picture industry.