Meal Break Rule

Class Name

com.workbrain.app.ta.quickrules.MealBreakRule

Overview

The Meal Break Rule is used to ensure employees have an adequate number of breaks of sufficient length during their shifts. If the employee does not have the specified breaks, or the breaks are too short, the rule can either insert an error on the employee's timesheet or pay the employee a premium to cover the missed breaks.

You can configure how long an employee must work to be entitled to receive a break, when the break must occur (either relative to the start of the shift or at a defined time), how long the breaks must last, and whether to insert a premium or an exception if the employee does not have sufficient breaks.

Parameters

Parameter Description
Minimum Length of Shift Specify the minimum number of minutes an employee must work during a work period to be entitled to a break. Each shift can have several work periods. The New Period After Break and Shift Divider Time Codes parameters define when a shift is divided into multiple work periods (either after a break or after a specified time code).

The rule does not check for breaks during work periods that are shorter than the specified duration.

For example, assume the Minimum Length of Shift is set to 5, the employee has an 8 hour shift with 5 hours of work details with the WRK time code, a half hour break, and another 2.5 hours of work. If the New Period After Break check box is selected, the rule considers the 8 hour shift as two work periods: a 5 hour work period before the break and a 2.5 hour work period after the break. The 5 hour work period is examined, and since the employee does not have a break within the work period, the rule inserts an error or a premium. The 2.5 hour work period also does not have a break within the work period, but the work period is shorter than 5 (the Minimum Length of Shift value). In this case, the work period is not examined and the rule does not insert an error or premium.

Consecutive Worked Minutes You can configure the rule to examine how long employees work consecutively without a break using the Consecutive Worked Minutes parameter.

Specify the number of consecutive minutes an employee must work before being entitled to receive a break. The rule ensures breaks are scheduled for each consecutive time frame. For example, specify 240 to have the rule check that employees receive one break for each consecutive 4 hours of work.

The Consecutive Worked Minutes functionality cannot be used in conjunction with the Relative to Actual Time or Minimum Length of Shift parameters. The rule cannot check that an employee receives a break for each consecutive 4 hours of work and ensure that the break occurs in the first 3 hours of the consecutive 4 hours. The rule also does not consider the Consecutive Worked Minutes parameter if the Minimum Length of Shift parameter has a value.

Include Breaks In Worked Minutes

This parameter determines whether the rule counts break minutes as time worked.

  • Select this check box to configure the rule to count break minutes as time worked.
  • Clear the check box to prevent counting break minutes as time worked.
New Period After Break This parameter defines what the rule considers as a new work period.
  • Select this check box to configure the rule to consider work details after a qualifying break as a new work period.
  • Clear the check box to consider new work periods to start when any of the time codes that are specified in the Shift Divider Time Codes parameter occur.
Valid Worked Time Codes Specify a comma-separated list of time codes that represent time spent working. Leave blank to include all time codes.
Valid Worked Hour Type Specify a comma-separated list of hour types that represent time spent working. Leave blank to include all hour types.
Relative to Actual Time This parameter defines whether breaks must occur within a specified number of minutes after shifts start or within actual, specified times.
  • When this check box is selected, the break window must occur within the number of minutes that is specified in the Minimum Break Start Time and Maximum Break Start Time parameters. For example, the rule can check that a break occurs between the second and third hours of the shift.
  • When the check box is cleared, the break must occur within the actual times that are specified in the Minimum Break Start Time and Maximum Break Start Time parameters, such as between 2:00 and 4:00.
Worked Shift Start From Specify the time (as a number of minutes after midnight) that is the earliest time the work period can begin. The rule considers only the work period that starts after this time. This parameter accepts the time as a number of minutes after midnight, so specify 660 to configure the rule to consider the work periods that start after 11:00.
Worked Shift Start To Specify the time (as a number of minutes after midnight) that is the latest time the work period can begin. The rule considers only the work period that starts before this time. This parameter accepts the time as a number of minutes after midnight, so specify 840 to configure the rule to consider work periods that start before 14:00.
Worked Shift End From Specify the time (as a number of minutes after midnight) that is the earliest time the work period can end. The rule considers only the work period that ends after this time. This parameter accepts the time as a number of minutes after midnight, so specify 1260 to configure the rule to consider work periods that start after 21:00.
Worked Shift End To Specify the time (as a number of minutes after midnight) that is the latest time the work period can end. The rule considers only the work period that ends before this time. This parameter accepts the time as a number of minutes after midnight, so specify 1380 to configure the rule to consider work periods that start before 23:00.
Minimum Break Start Time This parameter defines when the meal break should occur. If defined, the rule checks for breaks within a block of time and only the breaks that occur within the specified time period satisfy the rule. This parameter defines the start of the block of time in which breaks should occur.

By default, the value is -1 and breaks can occur anytime within shifts.

  • When the Relative to Actual Time parameter is set to True, the start of the block of time that meal breaks should occur is relative to the start of the shift. The rule checks for a meal break after the number of minutes specified in this parameter. For example, if Relative to Actual Time is set to True and Minimum Break Start Time is set to 180, the rule checks for breaks within a block of time that starts 180 minutes after the start of employee shifts and ends at the time that is specified in the Maximum Break Start Time parameter.
  • When the Relative to Actual Time parameter is set to False, the start of the block of time that meal breaks should occur is a specific time. The rule checks for a break starting at the time specified in this parameter. This parameter accepts the time as a number of minutes after midnight, so specify 660 to configure the rule to consider the work period that starts after 11:00. For example, if Relative to Actual Time is False and Minimum Break Start Time is set to 660, the rule checks for breaks within 11:00 and the time that is specified in the Maximum Break Start Time parameter.
Maximum Break Start Time This parameter defines the end of the block of time in which breaks can occur.

By default, the value is -1 and breaks can occur anytime within shifts.

  • When the Relative to Actual Time parameter is set to True, the end of the block of time is relative to the start of the shift.
  • When the Relative to Actual Time parameter is set to False, the end of the block of time is a specific time.
*Break Duration Specify the length of breaks, in minutes. Breaks that are shorter than the length that is specified in this parameter do not satisfy the rule.
Valid Break Time Codes Specify a comma-separated list of time codes that represent breaks. Work details with these time codes are considered breaks.
Valid Break Hour Types Specify a comma-separated list of hour types that represent breaks. Work details with these hour types are considered breaks.
Shift Divider Time Codes Specify a comma-separated list of time codes that represent time between multiple shifts. Time codes that are specified in this parameter mark the start of new work periods when the New Period After Break parameter is set to False.
Shift Divider Inclusive This parameter defines how the rule treats the time codes that are specified in the Shift Divider Time Codes parameter.
  • Select this check box to configure the rule to consider the time codes that are specified in the Shift Divider Time Codes parameter to represent time between multiple shifts.
  • Clear the check box to consider any time code that is not specified in the Shift Divider Time Codes parameter to represent time between multiple shifts.
Premium Time Code This parameter defines what action the rule performs when employees do not have appropriate breaks. The rule can either insert errors on employee timesheets or pay premiums.

By default, this parameter does not have a value and the rule inserts an error on the timesheet when employees do not have appropriate breaks.

Specify a premium time code to configure the rule to insert a premium when employees do not have appropriate breaks. For example, if you have a time code named PML that you want the rule to assign to employees who do not receive appropriate breaks, specify PML. The rule creates a premium with the PML time code on the timesheet. The remaining rule parameters define the additional premium information (such as the premium's hour type, the rate, and the labor metrics).

Premium Hour Type Specify the hour type to use for the premium the rule inserts when employees do not have appropriate breaks. This parameter is used only when you specify a value for the Premium Time Code parameter.

By default, this parameter does not have a value and the rule inserts an error on the timesheet when an employee does not have the appropriate breaks.

Premium Minutes Specify the length, in minutes, of the premium the rule inserts when an employee does not have appropriate breaks. This parameter is used only when you specify a value for the Premium Time Code parameter.
Premium Rate Specify the pay rate of the premium the rule inserts when an employee does not have appropriate breaks. This parameter is used only when you specify a value for the Premium Time Code parameter.

By default, the value is -1.

Apply Hour Type multiplier to the Rate Select this check box to multiply the rate by the hour type multiplier that is specified in the Premium Hour Type parameter.
  • If a rate is specified in the Premium Rate parameter, the specified rate is multiplied by the premium's hour type multiplier.
  • If a rate is not specified, the employee's base rate is multiplied by the premium's hour type multiplier.

This parameter is used only when you specify a value for the Premium Time Code and Premium Hour Type parameters.

By default, the premium's hour type multiplier is not applied to the specified premium rate/employee base rate.

Max Premium Allowed Specify the maximum number of premiums the rule can insert to a single employee on one day. This parameter is used only when you specify a value for the Premium Time Code parameter.

By default, the value is -1.

Premium Job Source This parameter defines the job to which premiums inserted by the rule are charged. The premium is inserted with the job code that is specified in the employee's default labor allocation, in the rule parameter, or in the work details.

This parameter is used only when you specify a value for the Premium Time Code parameter.

This parameter accepts one of these values:

  • Default Labor: Uses the job code that is specified in the employee's default labor allocation.
  • Work Details: Uses the job code that is specified in the work details that occurred when the employee should have received a break.
  • Defined: Uses the job code that is specified in the Premium Job Name parameter.
Premium Job Name Specify the name of the job to which premiums are charged. This parameter is only used if Defined was selected from the Premium Job Source parameter.
Premium Dept Source This parameter defines the department to which premiums inserted by the rule are charged. The premium is inserted with the department code that is specified in the employee's default labor allocation, in the rule parameter, or in the work details.

This parameter is only used when you specify a value for the Premium Time Code parameter.

This parameter accepts one of these values:

  • Default Labor: Uses the department code that is specified in the employee's default labor allocation.
  • Work Details: Uses the department code that is specified in the work details that occurred when the employee should have received a break.
  • Defined: Uses the department code that is specified in the Premium Dept Name parameter.
Premium Dept Name Specify the name of the department to which premiums are charged. This parameter is used only if Defined was selected from the Premium Dept Source parameter.
Premium Project Source This parameter defines the project to which premiums inserted by the rule are charged. The premium is inserted with the project code that is specified in the employee's default labor allocation, in the rule parameter, or in the work details.

This parameter is only used when you specify a value for the Premium Time Code parameter.

This parameter accepts one of these values:

  • Default Labor: Uses the project code that is specified in the employee's default labor allocation.
  • Work Details: Uses the project code that is specified in the work details that occurred when the employee should have received a break.
  • Defined: Uses the project code that is specified in the Premium Project Name parameter.
Premium Project Name Specify the name of the project to which premiums are charged. This parameter is used only if Defined was selected from the Premium Project Source parameter.
Premium Docket Source This parameter defines the docket to which premiums inserted by the rule are charged. The premium is inserted with the docket code that is specified in the employee's default labor allocation, in the rule parameter, or in the work details.

This parameter is only used when you specify a value for the Premium Time Code parameter.

This parameter accepts one of these values:

  • Default Labor: Uses the docket code that is specified in the employee's default labor allocation.
  • Work Details: Uses the docket code that is specified in the work details that occurred when the employee should have received a break.
  • Defined: Uses the docket code that is specified in the Premium Docket Name parameter.
Premium Docket Name Specify the name of the docket to which premiums are charged. This parameter is used only if Defined was selected from the Premium Docket Source parameter.
Premium Team Source This parameter defines the team to which premiums inserted by the rule are charged. The premium is inserted with the team code that is defined in the rule parameter or in the work details.

This parameter is only used when you specify a value for the Premium Time Code parameter.

This parameter accepts one of these values:

  • Work Details: Uses the team code that is specified in the work details that occurred when the employee should have received a break.
  • Defined: Uses the team code that is specified in the Premium Team Name parameter.
Premium Team Name Specify the name of the team to which premiums are charged. This parameter is used only if Defined was selected from the Premium Team Source parameter.

Example: A 20 minute break is required within the first 5 hours of shifts

The rule checks for 20 minute breaks during the first 5 hours of shifts. The relevant parameter settings are:

  • Relative to Actual Time = True
  • Minimum Break Start Time = 300
  • Duration of Break = 20
  • Premium Time Code = <blank>

If an employee has these work details:

Start Time End Time Time Code Duration
09:00 15:00 WRK 360
15:00 15:20 BRK 20
15:20 17:00 WRK 100

These settings result in the rule failing. Although the employee has a 20 minute break, the break does not occur within the first 300 minutes, or 5 hours, of the shift starting. Since no premium time code is supplied, the rule inserts an error on the employee's timesheet.

Example: A 20 minute break is required every 4 hours

The rule checks for 20 minute breaks every 4 hours in shifts. The relevant parameter settings are:

  • Consecutive Worked Minutes = 240
  • Duration of Break = 20
  • Premium Time Code = <blank>

If an employee has these work details:

Start Time End Time Time Code Duration
09:00 12:00 WRK 180
12:00 14:30 BRK 150
14:30 17:00 WRK 150

These settings result in the rule passing. The employee has a break before working 240 consecutive minutes.