After the California Supreme Court held in Brinker that the employers are “not obligated to police meal breaks and ensure that no work is performed”  during  breaks, many California employers felt relieved, anticipating meal and rest break litigation to slow down. 

In its recent decision Brinker vs. Superior Court (2012), the California Supreme Court finally provided clear guidelines on how rest and meal break provisions of the Labor Code and IWC Wage Orders should be interpreted.  This post discusses only rest break laws under the Brinker decision.  

In a long-anticipated decision  Brinker vs. Superior Court (April 2012), the California Supreme Court finally clarified the interpretation of Labor Code section 512 establishing employers’ obligation to provide meal breaks to their employees.