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Break Management

Break Tracking & Compliance

Configure break rules, assign to locations, and ensure labor law compliance with automatic break application to shifts and payroll integration.

10 min read
5 Steps to Setup
Compliance Management

Enable Break Tracking

2 minutes

Navigate to Settings

In the left sidebar, click "Settings"

  • • Scroll down to the "Feature Toggles" section
  • • Look for "Enable Break Tracking" checkbox
  • • This toggle controls automatic break application across your organization

Turn on break tracking

Check the "Enable Break Tracking" box.

  • • Helper text: "Automatically add breaks to shifts based on location-specific labor laws"
  • • A blue info box appears with a link to configure break rules
  • • Click "Configure Break Rules →" to set up your first rules

Create Break Rules

3 minutes

Open the Break Rules Library

From Settings, click "Configure Break Rules" or navigate to Settings > Break Rules.

  • • Page title: "Break Rules Library"
  • • Description: "Create break rules once, then assign them to multiple locations"
  • • Click the "+ Create Break Rule" button in the top right

Fill in break rule details

Complete the break rule form with required information.

  • • Break Name: Descriptive name like "California 30-min Meal Break" or "15-min Rest Break"
  • • Type: Choose PAID or UNPAID (note: UNPAID breaks are deducted from labor costs)
  • • After how many hours worked: Enter minimum shift hours (e.g., "4" means applies to shifts ≥ 4 hours)
  • • Duration in minutes: How long the break lasts (e.g., 30 for a half-hour break)

Example break rules

Common break rule configurations:

  • • 30-min Meal Break: UNPAID, 30 minutes, after 6 hours (California-style)
  • • 15-min Rest Break: PAID, 15 minutes, after 4 hours
  • • Lunch Break: UNPAID, 60 minutes, after 5 hours

Assign Rules to Locations

2 minutes

Assign during creation

When creating a new rule, you can assign it to locations immediately.

  • • In the create modal, scroll to "Assign to Locations (Optional)"
  • • Check the boxes for each location that should use this rule
  • • Multiple locations can share the same rule
  • • You can also skip this step and assign later

Assign to existing rules

For rules already created, use the "Assign to Locations" button.

  • • Find the break rule in your library
  • • Click "Assign to Locations" button on the rule card
  • • A modal opens showing all available locations with checkboxes
  • • Already-assigned locations are pre-checked
  • • Click "Save Assignments" to apply changes

View and remove assignments

See where each rule is assigned and make changes.

  • • Each rule card shows "Assigned to X location(s)"
  • • Location names appear as tags with location pin icon
  • • Click the "×" button on a location tag to unassign the rule
  • • Unassigning removes the rule from that location only

How Breaks Apply Automatically

1 minute

Automatic application during shift creation

When you create a shift, matching break rules are automatically applied.

  • • System calculates shift duration in hours
  • • Finds all break rules assigned to the shift's location
  • • Applies rules where shift duration ≥ minHours threshold
  • • Multiple break rules can apply to a single shift

Example scenario

How break rules work in practice:

  • • You create an 8-hour shift at "Downtown Store"
  • • Downtown Store has two rules: "15-min Rest" (after 4 hours) and "30-min Meal" (after 6 hours)
  • • Both rules automatically apply because 8 hours ≥ 4 hours and 8 hours ≥ 6 hours
  • • The shift now has two breaks: 15-minute paid break + 30-minute unpaid meal break

What doesn't happen

Important limitations to understand:

  • • Employees cannot start/stop breaks themselves (no real-time tracking)
  • • No enforcement of break timing during the shift
  • • No alerts for missed or late breaks
  • • Breaks are for scheduling and payroll calculation only

View Breaks in Payroll

2 minutes

How breaks affect labor costs

UNPAID breaks are deducted from hours worked for payroll.

  • • UNPAID breaks: Deducted from total hours worked (reduces labor costs)
  • • PAID breaks: Not deducted from hours worked (included in labor costs)
  • • This ensures accurate payroll calculations and compliance

View in payroll exports

Break information appears in your payroll export files.

  • • Navigate to the Payroll section
  • • Export your payroll data (CSV format)
  • • Break Start and Break End columns show break times
  • • Hours Worked column already reflects break deductions

Example calculation

See how break deductions work:

  • • Employee works 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (8 hours)
  • • Has a 30-minute UNPAID meal break
  • • Hours Worked shown in payroll: 7.5 hours (8 hours - 0.5 hours)
  • • PAID breaks would not be deducted from the 8 hours

Ready to Automate Break Compliance?

XShift AI makes break tracking seamless with automatic rule application and payroll integration.

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Employee Break Tracking & Compliance Management | XShift AI