Field notes
Notes from the break-audit desk
Enforcement trends, the timecard patterns that quietly create exposure, and how the rules actually play out in payroll data — written for the consultants who run California break audits. For the step-by-step rules, see the guides.
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Jun 2026 · Enforcement
PAGA in 2026: what the reforms mean for break-claim exposure
The 2024 PAGA reforms tied penalty exposure to “reasonable steps” — and a documented break audit is one of them. What changed, and why meal/rest claims sit at the center.
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Jun 2026 · Operations
Five timecard patterns that quietly create meal-break liability
The exposure rarely comes from dramatic violations. It comes from ordinary scheduling and payroll habits repeated across thousands of shifts. Here are the five to look for.
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Jun 2026 · Compliance
Ferra v. Loews, explained: why the regular rate trips up premium pay
A premium paid at the base hourly rate instead of the regular rate of compensation is a common, quiet underpayment. What Ferra held, and how to check for it.
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