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I have been working for a new company for about five months. Since I have been working for this company I have not been allowed to take my breaks out of my ten hour shifts. recently I was involved in a staff meeting that was given on my lunch break.
Depending on the nature of your job, you may be entitled to one 30-minute, unpaid, off-duty meal period for every 5 hours of work. Assuming you fit into this category of worker and your shift exceeded 10 hours, you would be entitled to two meal periods per shift. If you had to attend a staff meeting during a lunch break, then that lunch period was not off duty, and the employer had to pay you a meal period premium for that day. You can go back three years on a claim for unpaid lunch breaks, but if you file in court you can go back four years. The penalty for an unlawful lunch period is one hour of pay (this is the “meal period premium”). There may be other penalties allowable for a person who has suffered unlawful lunch periods. Please give us a call so we can evaluate your claim.