3.7 | Meal Periods & Breaks

Everyone has to eat! CTC provides all hourly, non-exempt entrepreneurs who work more than 5 hours in a workday with an unpaid, off-duty, uninterrupted half hour to one-hour meal period free of all job duties, to be taken in approximately the middle of the workday.  However, this meal period must begin by the end of entrepreneur’s fifth hour of work.  CTC also provides a second unpaid, off-duty, uninterrupted half hour to one-hour meal period free of all job duties whenever the non-exempt Entrepreneur ’s shift exceeds 10 hours.  This second meal period must begin by the end of the entrepreneur’s tenth hour of work.  Meal periods must be accurately recorded by all hourly, non-exempt entrepreneurs in Time IQ. Non-exempt entrepreneurs are expected to clock in and out for meal periods/record the starting and ending times of meal periods on their time sheets.  Non-exempt entrepreneurs should not use or skip their meal periods to arrive late or leave early, or for other reasons. Further, non-exempt entrepreneurs must not perform any work during meal periods. 

Additionally, all hourly, non-exempt entrepreneurs are entitled to a paid uninterrupted 15-minute rest break free of all job duties for every 4 hours of work, or major fraction thereof, as follows:

1. If the non-exempt Entrepreneur ’s shift is between 3.5 hours and 6 hours long, one paid rest period; 
2. If the non-exempt Entrepreneur ’s shift is more than 6 hours long and up to 10 hours long, two paid rest periods;
3. If the non-exempt Entrepreneur ’s shift is more than 10 hours long and up to 14 hours long, three paid rest periods; and
4. If the non-exempt Entrepreneur ’s shift is more than 14 hours long, the non-exempt Entrepreneur  will be expected to take the appropriate number of additional paid rest periods during his or her shift.

Whenever possible, the paid, 10-minute rest periods should be taken in approximately the middle of each 4-hour period that the non-exempt Entrepreneur works. Non-exempt entrepreneurs should not use or skip their rest periods to arrive late or leave early, or for other reasons. Rest periods and meal periods may not be combined. CTC expects that all non-exempt entrepreneurs will take the meal and rest breaks described above on every workday. Entrepreneurs may leave the premises during their meal and rest breaks.

Any non-exempt Entrepreneur who feels prohibited from or unable to take his or her rest or meal period must notify Human Resources in the Differentiation Department  promptly so that CTC can address the matter. Additional compensation may be provided to the extent required by law. If an Entrepreneur fails to advise CTC that he or she felt prohibited from taking a break or meal period, CTC will presume that the Entrepreneur has taken the required breaks.  Failure to observe these meal and rest period requirements may result in discipline.