--- title: How do I set up meal and rest breaks? description: Learn how Clean Smarts break time works, set a break template and company rules, and see how paid rest breaks and unpaid meals change paid hours. --- [Skip to content](https://support.cleansmarts.com/how-do-i-set-up-meal-and-rest-breaks#main-content) [![](https://support.cleansmarts.com/hs-fs/hubfs/cleansmarts_logo_white_med.png?width=320&height=110&name=cleansmarts_logo_white_med.png)](https://www.cleansmarts.com/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Contact us](mailto:support@cleansmarts.com) [Contact us](mailto:support@cleansmarts.com) How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Clean Smarts Knowledge Base](https://support.cleansmarts.com/?hsLang=en-us) 2. [Web Portal](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us) 3. [Time and Attendance](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#time-and-attendance) # How do I set up meal and rest breaks? ## Break templates set when paid rest breaks and unpaid meal breaks are due. Assign a template, choose company rules, and review missed or late breaks. A break template is a named set of rules for when employees should take paid rest breaks and unpaid meal breaks, and how long each one lasts. Employees stay clocked in while they take the break. They start and end it from the mobile app or the Clean Smarts Kiosk. **Applies to:** Account administrators with **Manage Account** for company, location, and employee break settings. Managers who can edit a shift or job can assign a template on that schedule. The **Break Violation Report** is available to roles with **Timetracking (Edit)**, **Timetracking (Approve)**, or **Timetracking (View Others' Time)**. --- ### How Break Time Works Clean Smarts counts **worked time**, then offers each break when that worked time reaches the rule. **Starts At** is hours of eligible work, written as HH:MM on a 24-hour clock. `05:00` means the break becomes available after five hours of eligible work. `00:30` in **Length** is a 30-minute break. Each rule has an **Eligibility** setting. It decides which earlier check-ins count toward **Starts At**. **Whole workday** adds up time the employee has already worked since the workday began. The workday starts at **Start time** on **Company Settings \> Timekeeping**, next to **Workweek starts on**, and runs until that same time the next day. With **Start time** at midnight, that is one local day. Example: a 10-minute paid rest break has **Starts At** `03:00`. The employee clocks in at 9:00, so the break is due at 12:00. They clock out at 10:00 and clock back in at 10:05. The hour from 9:00 to 10:00 still counts, and the three hours do not start over at 10:05. That same rest break is not scheduled again on a later check-in in the same workday. New **Paid** rules start on **Whole workday**. **Contiguous work period** adds up time only in the current stretch of check-ins. The stretch continues while each gap off the clock is shorter than **Reset after off-clock gap**. The help text on that field is *Break eligibility resets after the employee is off the clock for at least this long.* When a gap reaches that length, the timer starts over on the next clock-in, and the same break can come due again. Use this when travel or an off-clock meal between jobs should start meal eligibility over. Example: a 30-minute unpaid meal has **Starts At** `05:00` and **Reset after off-clock gap** `00:30`. The employee works 8:00–11:00, stays off the clock for an hour, and clocks in at noon. The hour off the clock meets the 30-minute gap, so the five-hour meal timer starts at noon. A 10-minute gap would have kept the morning hours on the timer. New **Unpaid** rules start on **Contiguous work period**, and the reset gap starts equal to the break length. Both options count time on the clock. Paid rest time stays in that total. Unpaid meal time already recorded is left out. Check-ins at other locations count when they fall in the same window. Changing **Type** resets eligibility to the default for that type. The most specific assignment wins: a shift or job choice, then the location, then the company default. A check-in with no template has no break button and no break obligations. **Paid** and **Unpaid** change pay differently. A **Paid** rest break stays on the clock up to its planned length. Time past that planned length is unpaid. An **Unpaid** meal break comes out of paid hours. Three company switches control what employees can do once a template applies: - **Allow early breaks** — they can start a planned break before its scheduled time. On the phone, the action is **Take my break early**. The break still counts for that rule. - **Automatically end breaks** — when the break reaches its length, Clean Smarts ends it and puts the employee back on the clock. - **Enforce full break length** — if they try to end early, the break stays open until the planned length is up. The recorded break keeps that full length. A template change applies to check-ins that start after you save it. Breaks already stored on closed shifts stay as they were. Break templates and shift adjustments are separate. A shift adjustment under **Alerts & Adjustments** adds or subtracts time when the employee clocks out. A break template is what employees punch themselves. If a shift already has a lunch adjustment and you also apply a break template, both can reduce paid time. --- ### Before You Start - Creating or editing a template saves as soon as you click **Create** or **Update**. The company default and the three company switches wait until you click **Save Changes** at the bottom of **Timekeeping**. - The location **Break template** saves as soon as you change it. - If you still use automatic lunch deductions, decide whether those shifts should keep the adjustment, the break template, or both, before you rely on the new rules. --- ### Create a Break Template 1. Click your profile in the bottom-left corner and choose **Company Settings**. 2. Select **Timekeeping**. 3. In the **Breaks** card, click **Add/edit break templates**. 4. Click **Add Break Template**. 5. Enter a **Description** your team will recognize, such as `California Break Rules` or `Standard 8-hour shift`. 6. Optional: check **Notify user when it's time for a break**. The employee also needs notifications turned on for the reminder to arrive. 7. Optional: check **Require note if any break is missed**. At clock-out, the employee must explain each break that was missed, late, short, or interrupted. 8. Click **Add Rule** for each break, or click **CA Rules** to load a sample California-style schedule. **CA Rules** opens **California Break Rules** and asks you to confirm that you will verify the sample against current law before you rely on it. 9. For each rule, set: - **Type** — **Paid** for a rest break that stays on the clock. **Unpaid** for a meal break that comes out of paid time. - **Starts At (HH:MM)** — how much eligible work must pass before this break is available. `03:30` is three hours and 30 minutes. - **Length (HH:MM)** — how long the break lasts. `00:10` is 10 minutes. `00:30` is 30 minutes. - **Eligibility** — **Whole workday** or **Contiguous work period**, defined above under **How Break Time Works**. For a contiguous rule, set **Reset after off-clock gap**. 10. Click **Create**. A template needs a description and at least one rule. Click a row later to edit it, or use the trash icon to delete a template you no longer assign. Editing opens **Edit Break Template**, and **Update** saves that template immediately. The **CA Rules** sample is a starting schedule of 10-minute paid rest breaks and 30-minute unpaid meal breaks spread across a long workday. Review every row, then save only the rules that match your policy. --- ### Set the Company Default and Break Rules On the same **Breaks** card: 1. Choose a **Default break template**. New check-ins use this template unless a location, shift, or job overrides it. Choose **None** when you want no company-wide template and will assign templates only where you need them. 2. Set **Allow early breaks**, **Automatically end breaks**, and **Enforce full break length**. 3. Click **Save Changes** at the bottom of the page. If the amber warning appears, some shifts still have time adjustments. Open those shifts and decide whether the adjustment, the break template, or both should remain. The warning text is: *Some shifts have time adjustments. A default break template can double-count deductions on those shifts.* --- ### Assign a Template to a Location, Shift, or Job **Location** 1. Open **Manage Locations** from your profile menu and open the location. 2. In the **Breaks** section, set **Break template**. 3. Leave **From company settings** to use the company default. The menu names the template, for example **From company settings: California Break Rules**. Pick a named template to override it for check-ins at this site. Choose **None** when this location should not inherit the company template. The location choice saves as soon as you change it. **Shift or job** 1. Open the shift or job. On a location, use **Shifts and inspections**. 2. Expand **Budget**. 3. Set **Break Templates**. 4. Leave the inherit option to use the location template, or the company default when the location does not override it. The menu shows which one, for example **From location: Standard 8-hour shift** or **From company settings: California Break Rules**. 5. Save the shift or job. **One employee** 1. Open **Manage Users**, open the person, and go to **Time & Pay**. 2. Under **Breaks**, set **Breaks enabled**. 3. **Inherit (resolves to: Enabled)** follows the company setting. Breaks are on unless you turn them off. Choose **Enabled** to keep breaks on for that person. Choose **Disabled** to exempt them even when the location and company have a template. --- ### What Employees See While they are clocked in, the mobile app shows an orange break tile on the location's **Main** tab. The kiosk shows **Take Break** after they enter their PIN. Starting a break keeps them clocked in to the shift. If **Require note if any break is missed** is on, clock-out on the app asks about each break they did not record. Phone and text clock-in do not show a break button during the shift. Clean Smarts still records which breaks were due. When someone clocks out by phone, the call reads each break that was not recorded: *Our records show you did not take your \[number\] minute break. If you took it, press 1. If you did not, press 2.* Press **2** asks them to say why. Press **1** saves a note that they took the break by phone. That note does not create a break punch, and paid hours stay the same until a manager adds the break on the check-in. On the **Break Violation Report**, a phone note shows as **Missed Break** with that explanation. A call with no answer, and a text clock-out, leave **No Explanation** when no note was saved. For the employee steps on the phone app, see [How do I take a meal or break in the mobile app?](https://support.cleansmarts.com/how-do-i-take-a-meal-or-break-in-the-mobile-app?hsLang=en-us). --- ### Review Breaks After the Shift Open a check-in in **Time Tracking \> Time Detail** to see each break: type, scheduled time, actual start and end, planned duration, and a status such as **Taken**, **Missed**, **Late**, **Short**, or **In progress**. To scan a date range for problems: 1. Open **Time Tracking** and choose **Break Violation Report**. 2. Set the date range and, if you want, a location or location group. 3. Review the rows. **Rule Timing** shows when the break was due and how long it should have lasted. **Actual Break Time** shows what was recorded. **Explanation** shows the employee's note, or **No Explanation** when none was entered. What each violation means: - **Missed Break** — the break was due, no break was recorded, and an explanation is on the row. - **No Explanation** — the break was due, no break was recorded, and there is no note. - **Late** — the break started after its scheduled time. - **Short** — the recorded break is shorter than the planned length. - **Excessively Long** — the recorded break ran longer than the planned length. **Calculated Premium** shows one hour for review on missed, unexplained, late, and short breaks. Excessively long breaks show zero. The column is for review. Payroll still uses the hours on the timesheet. Export the report when you need to share it. If your account uses Clean Smarts payroll, **Payroll \> Reports** also includes **Premium Pay Ledger** and **Edited Breaks Audit Trail Report**. The ledger lists calculated meal and rest premiums. It does not add that premium to the timesheet or the paycheck. The audit trail lists break edits. To correct one shift, edit that check-in and use **Add Break** for a paid or unpaid break the employee took. See [How do I add a time entry in Clean Smarts?](https://support.cleansmarts.com/how-do-i-add-a-time-entry-in-clean-smarts?hsLang=en-us). --- ### Troubleshooting **Employees don't see the break button.** Confirm they are clocked in on the mobile app or kiosk, and that a template applies to that check-in. A company default of **None**, a location set to **None**, a shift set to **None**, or **Breaks enabled** set to **Disabled** on the employee all hide the break. Phone and text clock-in never show a break button during the shift. A shift adjustment alone does not add the break button. **Lunch was deducted twice.** The shift has a time adjustment and a break template. Open the shift, expand **Alerts & Adjustments**, and remove the automatic lunch deduction if employees are now punching the meal break. Or remove the break template if you only want the automatic deduction. **A break moved later after someone clocked out and back in.** Check **Eligibility** on that rule. **Whole workday** keeps the earlier hours in the same workday. **Contiguous work period** starts over when the off-clock gap meets **Reset after off-clock gap**. **The employee ended a break early and it stayed open.** **Enforce full break length** is on. The break closes at the planned end time, and paid time uses that full length. **The employee said they took the break on the phone, and the hours did not change.** Press **1** on the clock-out call saves a note. It does not record a break punch. Open the check-in and use **Add Break** if that meal or rest break should come out of paid time, or stay on the clock. **I changed the template and yesterday's timesheet looks the same.** That is expected. Edit the check-in if that day needs a correction. **I see Add/edit break templates, but not the company switches or Break Violation Report.** Meal and rest breaks are not turned on for the account yet. You can still build templates. **Default break template**, the three switches, the location **Breaks** section, the employee **Breaks enabled** setting, and **Break Violation Report** appear after Clean Smarts turns the feature on. **I don't see Breaks on a location, or I don't see the violation report, and another admin does.** Company, location, and employee break settings require **Manage Account**. The violation report requires a time-tracking module listed at the top of this article. Ask an account admin to update your role. See [What does each of the user modules do?](https://support.cleansmarts.com/what-does-each-of-the-user-modules-do?hsLang=en-us). --- ### Related Articles - [How do I take a meal or break in the mobile app?](https://support.cleansmarts.com/how-do-i-take-a-meal-or-break-in-the-mobile-app?hsLang=en-us) — Start, end, and explain a break from the phone. - [How do I add a time entry in Clean Smarts?](https://support.cleansmarts.com/how-do-i-add-a-time-entry-in-clean-smarts?hsLang=en-us) — Add paid or unpaid breaks on a manual check-in. - [What does each of the user modules do?](https://support.cleansmarts.com/what-does-each-of-the-user-modules-do?hsLang=en-us) — Confirm **Manage Account** and time-tracking access. --- - [Getting started](https://support.cleansmarts.com/getting-started?hsLang=en-us) - [Mobile App](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#main-content) - [Getting Started](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#getting-started) - [Timekeeping](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#timekeeping) - [Geofences](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#geofences) - [Shifts, Jobs & Work Orders](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#shifts-jobs-work-orders) - [Checklists, Tasks, and Scan Points](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#checklists-tasks-and-scan-points) - [Issues and Service Requests](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#issues-and-service-requests) - [Inspections](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#inspections) - [Supplies](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#supplies) - [Messaging and Notifications](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#messaging-and-notifications) - [Manager Features](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#manager-features) - [Offline, Sync & Troubleshooting](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#offline-sync-troubleshooting) - [Profile and Help](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#profile-and-help) - [Training](https://support.cleansmarts.com/mobile-app?hsLang=en-us#training) - [Web Portal](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#main-content) - [Checklists, Tasks, and Scan Points](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#checklists-tasks-and-scan-points) - [Users](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#users) - [Custom Fields](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#custom-fields) - [Geofences](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#geofences) - [Inspections](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#inspections) - [Issues and Service Requests](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#issues-and-service-requests) - [Locations and Sub-locations](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#locations-and-sub-locations) - [Messaging](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#messaging) - [Pay Rates and Job Costing](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#pay-rates-and-job-costing) - [Shifts and Scheduling](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#shifts-and-scheduling) - [Supplies](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#supplies) - [Time and Attendance](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#time-and-attendance) - [Translation](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#translation) - [Work Orders](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#work-orders) - [Assets and Equipment](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#assets-and-equipment) - [Billing and Subscriptions](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#billing-and-subscriptions) - [Integrations](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#integrations) - [Payroll](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#payroll) - [Quality](https://support.cleansmarts.com/web-portal?hsLang=en-us#quality) - [Customer Portal](https://support.cleansmarts.com/customer-portal?hsLang=en-us#main-content) - [Getting Started](https://support.cleansmarts.com/customer-portal?hsLang=en-us#getting-started) - [Completed Work](https://support.cleansmarts.com/customer-portal?hsLang=en-us#completed-work) - [Quality](https://support.cleansmarts.com/customer-portal?hsLang=en-us#quality) - [Service Requests](https://support.cleansmarts.com/customer-portal?hsLang=en-us#service-requests) - [Messages](https://support.cleansmarts.com/customer-portal?hsLang=en-us#messages) - [Supplies](https://support.cleansmarts.com/customer-portal?hsLang=en-us#supplies) - [Notifications](https://support.cleansmarts.com/customer-portal?hsLang=en-us#notifications) [![](https://support.cleansmarts.com/hs-fs/hubfs/cleansmarts_logo_white_med.png?width=320&height=110&name=cleansmarts_logo_white_med.png)](https://www.cleansmarts.com/) Copyright © 2026, Clean Smarts