One missed, short, or late meal break = one extra hour of pay per worker, per day (Labor Code 226.7, paid at the regular rate - Ferra v. Loews). See what quiet violations are worth.
Counts as a violation: no meal before the end of the 5th hour, a meal under 30 minutes (no rounding - Donohue v. AMN), or a late/interrupted break. A worker can trigger TWO premiums in one day (meal + rest). Wage claims reach back 3 years (4 with UCL). This excludes rest-break premiums, wage-statement penalties, waiting-time penalties, PAGA, interest, and attorney fees - real exposure stacks higher. Estimate only, not legal advice.
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