There’s a serious food fight right now over the rules California employers must live by regarding breaks. Governor Schwarzenegger and a court ruling are on one side, and a recent appeals court ruling is on the other.
 
The questions? Must employers offer regular breaks and meal times to employees … or require that they be taken. And if employees don’t take the breaks, should they be paid for the time? The Governor supported the pro-business view, while unions want an interpretation favoring labor. Back wages hang in the balance, as the Governor, courts and regulators hammer this out. The early January ruling by the 4^th District Court of Appeal held, in a test case, that back wages were liable for up to three years…so it’s all on the table once again.