Most people know that airline baggage handlers have physically demanding jobs, sometimes having to work in the sweltering California heat. These workers handle tasks like loading, unloading, sorting and moving baggage. They’re under considerable pressure to keep flights on time while working around loud equipment and doing heavy lifting.
For those who work in California, special protections exist that mean employers have to provide them with meal periods and rest breaks as long as they meet certain requirements. Understanding these can help these hardworking men and women to get the breaks from physical exhaustion they deserve on each shift.
Meal breaks
Meal breaks are required if the baggage handler works at least five hours in a day. A second one is required if the worker’s shift is longer than 10 hours. Each meal break must be as close to the middle of the shift as possible. If a worker has a shift that’s five to six hours, they can waive their meal break with a mutual agreement with the employer. The same is true of one of the two meal breaks if they work 10 to 12 hours.
A meal period is an unpaid break as long as the worker is completely relieved of their duties. They must be free to spend their meal period how they see fit without being disrupted to do any type of work. If the employee is expected to work, they must be paid for the entire meal period.
Rest periods
Rest periods are shorter breaks that must last at least 10 minutes. One rest period is required for every four hours worked; however, if a person works a major fraction of four hours, they still get a break. Because of the “major fraction” wording, a person who works six hours would be entitled to two breaks.
Baggage handlers may be especially vulnerable to missed breaks because of staffing shortages, flight delays, and arrivals that land one right after the other. This can make breaks feel impossible to take, but it’s up to the employer to ensure employees have their required meal breaks and rest periods.