Break Rules

1. Assign a unique identifier as the  Rule ID and enter a Rule Description.

If you want this break rule to be available in the system, click to place a check mark next to Active (default).

If this is a paid break period, click to place a check mark next to Paid Break. When checked the Paid Break tab appears.

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2. Define the range of time that the system expects the employee to take a break by specifying the Break Window Type:

• None – the time that the employee takes this break is irrelevant. For example, a lunch break where the employee is allowed 30 minutes for lunch, but the break doesn't have to be used at a specific time.
• Absolute Time Window – establishes a set period for the employee to take the break. When selected, the time window opens. Click to set respectively the From and To times for this break.
• Relative To Schedule IN Punch – establishes a time period by specifying, in minutes, both the start time after the scheduled In punch time and the break duration. When selected, the relative minutes window opens. Use the arrow keys to set respectively the From and To times for this break.
• Relative To Punch IN – establishes a time period by specifying, in minutes, both the start time after the rounded In punch time and the break duration. When selected, the relative minutes window opens. Use the arrow keys to set respectively the From and To times for this break. For example, if employees must take a break once every five hours, From is set to 1 and To is set to 300 (minutes).

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3. To assign a priority/hierarchy to the breaks, define the Break Classification. For example, let's say that employees may take either a 15-minute break after 4 hours of work, or a 30-minute break. If they take the 30-minute break they are ineligible for the 15-minute break. In this case the 30-minute break (given a Class of A) overrides the 15-minute break (given a Class of B) if the Class Override for the 30-minute break has the value of B.

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4. Specify how the length of the break is obtained by setting the Break Length Source. Use the arrow keys to set, in minutes, the Fixed Length field for one of the following options.

• Fixed Length – establishes a fixed length for the break. This value is used regardless of what is entered on the employee profile or on their schedule.
• Employee Lunch/Fixed – the system first looks at the employee profile for a value. If no value is entered (i.e., 0), the value in the Fixed Length field is used.
• Schedule/Fixed – the system first looks at the schedule for a break period. If no break is specified in the schedule, the value in the Fixed Length field is used.
• Schedule/Lunch/Fixed – the system first looks at the schedule for a break period. If no break is specified in the schedule, the system looks at the value for the lunch break on the employee profile. If there is no value entered (i.e., 0), the system uses the value entered in the Fixed Length field.
5. Specify Punchset Gap Minutes. These values are used to identify how short (minimum) or long (maximum) the duration between a set of punches must be before the system will apply a particular break rule to a break in the work day. Use the arrow keys to set, in minutes, the Min and Max gap minutes respectively.

For example, if the minimum value for a break rule is set to 10 and the employee punches out back in within 6 minutes, the break is too short to be considered for this rule (such as a lunch break). If there is no rule that applies to a break of six minutes, that break is considered to be an unscheduled break. And, if the employee did not punch out and back in later on for the actual lunch break and the auto deduct field is active, the break minutes are deducted from the hours worked for the day. The same is true if the length of the break exceeds the maximum number of minutes.

Note: If the minimum/maximum Punchset Gap Minutes values are the same (e.g., both set to 1 minute), this criterion is ignored when determining if the break rule applies to a particular day.

6. Specify the number of Hours Worked. These values are used to determine whether a break rule applies to a particular day. Use the arrow keys to set, in hours, the Min and Max hours worked respectively.

For example, let's assume  the minimum for a break rule is set to 4 and the maximum is set to 12. If the employee takes a 30-minute break on a day when he works only 2 hours the break rule is not applied. Alternately, if the employee works for 14 hours the break rule does not apply.

Note: If the minimum/maximum Hours Worked values are the same (e.g., both set to 0.01 hours), this criterion is ignored when determining if the break rule applies to a certain day.

7. Establish the Round rule. The round rule pertains to the employee's out punch for the break. For example, if the employee punches in at 8 AM and takes a break from 10:07 AM - 10:22 AM, this rule applies to his 10:07 AM punch. Click to select  the rounding option you want to use and click OK.

• Use Exact Punch –  uses the exact punch times to determine the break length.
• Next (Forward) – rounds the break time up to the next increment. For example, if the increment is set to 5 minutes and the actual break time is 38 minutes, the in punch is rounded up to 40 minutes.
• Previous (Back) – rounds the break time down to the previous increment. For example, if the increment is set to 5 minutes and the actual break time is 38 minutes, the in punch is rounded down to 35 minutes.
• Near (Mid Point) – rounds the break time up or down to the next or previous increment, respectively, based on the value of the mid- or crossover-point. For example, let's assume the increment and mid values are set to 5 and 2, respectively.  If the actual break time is 37 minutes, it is rounded down to 35. Alternately, if the actual break time is 38 minutes the in punch is rounded up to 40.
• Increment Table – an increment rounding table is associated with this rule. The increment table divides an hour into segments; the rounding depends upon the time the employee left for the break. For more information, see setting up rounding tables.
• Time Table – a time table rounding table is associated with this rule. Similar to the Increment Table round. For more information, see setting up rounding tables.
   

1. Specify options for which shifts, days, and levels are applicable to this break rule. By default, all shifts, days, levels, and pay types are selected. To choose specific options, click to remove a check mark, and click the respective Select button and choose from that list:

• All Shifts – when checked this break rule applies to all shifts. When unchecked the Select Shifts button appears allowing the selection of specific shifts.
• All Days – when checked this break rule applies to all days. When unchecked the Select Days button appears allowing the selection of holidays/special days.
• All Levels – when checked this break rule applies to all levels. When unchecked the Select Levels button appears allowing the selection of specific levels.
• All Pay Types – when checked this break rule applies to all Pay Types. When unchecked the Select Pay Types button appears, allowing the selection of specific pay types.

2. Specify the Days Included in this break rule. Note that Days Included is not applicable to the Relative to Schedule IN Punch. Click to choose one of the following options:

• Scheduled – break rule applies to scheduled days only.
• Non-Scheduled – break rule applies to non-scheduled days only.
• Both – break rule applies to both scheduled and non-scheduled days.

Setup the Treatment for Missing Break. This setting determines how the system processes the time associated with an employee's missed break. Click to choose one of the following options:

None – no action is taken and the missed break is ignored.

Auto Deduct – select this option to automatically deduct the break period.

Pay Break – select this option to pay employees for breaks not taken. When selected, this option uses the value entered in the Break Length Source field. Click for paid break configurations specific to California Labor Laws.

Set up the system to determine how to calculate breaks that are shorter or longer than the value specified on the General tab.

Short Break rules

Long Break rules

The Compensate for Late Break option can be used to calculate a meal penalty for time worked over so many hours.

Example - Configuration to calculate a meal penalty for the Late Break

Employees are paid a meal penalty when they work in excess of a specified number of consecutive hours. Also, the employee takes less than the allotted 1 hour for a meal break. This option has the system determining the time at which the 5 hour criteria is met, and will determine the amount of time between the 5 hour point and the employee’s next Out punch. If less than the minimum number of minutes, the employee is paid the minimum number of minutes. If more than the maximum number of minutes, the employee is paid the maximum number of minutes. If between the minimum and the maximum, the employee is paid the exact number of minutes.

Upon selection of the Late Break tab, fields for entry of the number of hours at which the compensation begins and the payment options display. These fields include the following: Pay all minutes or Min/Max minutes paid, Pay Type code, Hierarchy. Exception Code.

Upon selection of the Late Break tab, fields for entry of the number of hours at which the compensation begins and the payment options:

• Consecutive Hours Worked - Enter the number of hours that the employee worked consecutively before a break that isgin compensation (value may be nn.nn with a maximum value of 24).
• All Minutes - (default)
• Min/Max Value
• Pay Type - One pay type must be selected. This is the Pay type that is assigned to the Misc. Pay transaction.

• Exception Code - Select one Exception code to be assigned to the Misc. Pay transaction. This field is optional.
• Use Department/Position-Choose one of the following options to which this transaction is to be charged:
• Home – the transaction is charged to the employee’s home department/position (default).
• Time Card – the transaction is charged to the department/position in which the employee was working at the end of the break window.
• Scheduled – the transaction is charged to the department/position to which the employee is scheduled.
• Specified – you is prompted to select a department and position.  

The system generates a Miscellaneous Pay transaction for the payment. The Pay Type selected may be any payroll class (except Prior Period Adjustment).

 

If break time is to be paid, this is where you specify how much break-time the employee is to be paid. Note that this tab is only visible if Paid Break is checked on the General tab.

1. To specify the type of break pay, click and choose a Paid Type on the list. Note that this applies only when the break length is neither short nor long:

• Break Taken – the actual length of the break that was taken.
• Break Length – the specified length of the break.
• Fixed Value – the value set in the Fixed Value field regardless of the break length or break time taken.

For example, if the employee returns from the break 5 minutes early that employee is paid for the fixed time (being an extra five minutes than actually taken) and the extra five minutes worked. This is referred to as adding time back.

2. Click to choose one of the following options for How To Implement Paid Break:
• Apply To Departure Punch – the break time is charged to the department/position worked at the time the employee punched out for the break.
• Apply To Return Punch – the break time is charged to the department/position worked when the employee punches back in from the break.
• Split Between Departure and Return – charges half of the break time to the previous and half to the next worked department/position.
• Create New Punch – creates a new punch set on the employee's time card. Selecting this option enables the Pay Type and Use Department/Position fields which you set in the next two steps.

(Perform steps 3 and 4 only if you selected Create New Punch in step 2).

3. Choose a Pay Type by clicking and selecting the pay type to be used when the new punch set is created.
4. (For Create New Punch only). Click to specify a Use Department/Position, which is the department/position to be charged for the break:
• Departure Punchset – break hours are charged to the department/position worked when the employee punched out for the break.
• Return Punchset – break hours are charged to the department/position worked when the employee punches back in from the break.
• Scheduled – break hours are charged to the department/position specified on the schedule.
• Employee Home – break hours are charged to the department/position specified on the employee's Personnel screen.

• Fixed – enables the Pos (Position) button. Click to choose from a selection of specific, fixed department/positions.

Example:

Employee gets 2 paid 15 minute breaks and 1 unpaid 30 minute lunch. The employee can take a combination of lunch and break.

You will need to configure the following rule for this example....

•  60 minute lunch
• 45 minute lunch
• 30 minute lunch
• 2 paid 15 minute break rules

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• 60 Minute Lunch Rule....
• General tab - Fixed Length of 60 minutes. Check the Paid Break.
• Set the Punch Set Gap minutes (Min) 46; Should not conflict with other break rules. (This field is used for the system so multiple rules are not applied.) Max=130.
• Set the Min and Max Hours Worked (Min 1.00) and Max (17.00)
• Under the Short/Long Break tab enter for Paid Type a Fixed Value of 30 Paid Minutes.
  In this example the employee will punch for 60 minutes and get paid for 30.
• Under the Paid Break tab enter a Paid Break/ Fixed Value type of 30 Paid Minutes.
• 45 Minute Lunch....
• General tab - Fixed Length of 45 minutes. Check the Paid Break.
• Set the Punch Set Gap minutes (Min) 31; Should not conflict with other break rules. (This field is used for the system so multiple rules are not applied.) Max=45.
• Set the Hours Worked (Min 1.00) and Max (17.00)  Example if I need to work a minimum of hours before applying this rule.
• Under the Short/Long Break tab enter for Paid Type a Fixed Value of 15 Paid Minutes.
  In this example the employee will punch for 45 minutes and get paid for 15.
• Under the Paid Break tab enter a Paid Break/ Fixed Value type of 15 Paid Minutes.
• 30 Minute Lunch....
• General tab - Fixed Length of 30 minutes.
• Check the Auto Deduct field under Missing Break tab. Min Hours in Punchset=1.00; Max Hours in Punchset=10.00.
  (This field is used for the system so multiple rules are not applied.) Max=30.
• Set the Hours Worked (Min 1.00) and Max (17.00)  Example if I need to work a minimum of hours before applying this rule.
• In this example the Break should auto deduct if not taken.
• Under the Short?Long Breaks tab - Configure the Grace/Exception and Rounding Method. 5 min=Grace;5 min=Exception Grace. Select Full Break Length under Use Exact Taken option.
• 15 Minute Break Rule
• General tab - Fixed Length of 15 minutes. Check the Paid Break.
• Set the Punch Set Gap minutes (Min) 1; Should not conflict with other break rules. (This field is used for the system so multiple rules are not applied.) Max=20.
• Set the Hours Worked (Min 1.00) and Max (17.00)  Example if I need to work a minimum of hours before applying this rule.
• Under the Short/Long Break tab enter for Paid Type a Fixed Value of 15 Paid Minutes.
  In this example the employee will punch for 15 minutes and get paid for 15.
• Under the Paid Break tab enter a Paid Break/ Fixed Value type of 15 Paid Minutes.
• Second 15 Minute Break Rule
• General tab - Fixed Length of 15 minutes. Check the Paid Break.
• Set the Punch Set Gap minutes (Min) 1; Should not conflict with other break rules. (This field is used for the system so multiple rules are not applied.) Max=20.
• Set the Hours Worked (Min 1.00) and Max (17.00)  Example if I need to work a minimum of hours before applying this rule.
• Under the Short/Long Break tab enter for Paid Type a Fixed Value of 15 Paid Minutes.
  In this example the employee will punch for 15 minutes and get paid for 15.
• Under the Paid Break tab enter a Paid Break/ Fixed Value type of 15 Paid Minutes.

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