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, 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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