Break rules define when employees can take breaks, how breaks are tracked, whether break time is paid or unpaid, and how exceptions such as waivers and penalties are handled.
Use Breaks to configure rules for specific employees, groups, or everyone. Each rule can include one or more break types, depending on the policy requirements for the selected audience.
Before you begin
Before creating a break rule, confirm the following details:
The audience for the rule
The date the rule should start
The type of break to configure
Whether the break is paid or unpaid
Whether the break should be completed, deducted, or tracked manually
Whether waivers or penalties apply
Create a break rule
Go to Global Settings > Time Tracking > Breaks, then select Create Rule.
In Name, enter the rule name.
In Starting on, select when the rule should take effect.
Under Audience, select Everyone, Specific group, or Specific employee.
If breaks should not be tracked for this rule, select Do Not Track Breaks.
Under Add Break Rule, select one of the available break types.
Optional: Select Auto-select break to let the system automatically select the applicable break.
Optional: Select Hide breaks that do not apply to show only applicable breaks.
Under Break Penalties Per Day, select how penalties should apply.
Select Save.
Time of Day, Worked Hours, and Floating Break
These three break types use the same lower configuration sections, such as Deductions, Break Requirement Rules, Payment, and Waivers & Penalties, but the top fields vary depending on the selected break type.
Time of Day configuration example
In Break Name, enter the break name.
In Break is allowed to be taken, starting at, enter the earliest time the break can begin.
In Break must be taken before, enter the latest time the break can be taken.
In Break Duration, enter the break length.
Optional: Select Enforce a Minimum Break Duration and enter the minimum required duration.
Optional: Select Allow extended break if employees can take a longer break.
Configure any applicable shared settings.
Select Ok.
Worked Hours
Floating Break
Automatic Break configuration
Use Automatic Break when the system should deduct break time automatically after a defined amount of worked time.
In Break Name, enter the break name.
In Break Duration, enter the break length.
In Deduct after working, enter when the break should be deducted.
Optional: Select Force break deduction if the deduction should always apply.
Optional: Select Repeat every if the automatic deduction should repeat after a defined number of worked hours.
In Deduct from time code, select the time code from which the break should be deducted.
Configure any applicable shared settings.
Select Ok.
Shared break settings
The sections available in the break configuration panel vary depending on the selected break type.
Deductions
Use Deductions to control how the system completes or deducts break time.
Automatically Complete (To Break Duration): Completes the break up to the configured duration.
Automatically Deduct: Deducts the break automatically based on the rule setup.
Break Requirement Rules
Use Break Requirement Rules to define when an employee is eligible for the break and when the break applies.
Employee is eligible for this break only if the shift is at least: Sets the minimum shift length required for the break.
Employee must work at least: Sets the minimum worked time required to qualify for the break.
Payment
Use Payment to define whether the break is paid.
Select Pay break if the break should be paid.
Leave Pay break cleared if the break should be unpaid.
Waivers and Penalties
Use Waivers & Penalties to define when a break becomes mandatory and when penalties may apply.
Select Break is mandatory after working more than to define the worked-hours threshold for a mandatory break.
Use Break Penalties Per Day in the main rule setup to control whether all penalties apply or only a specific number of penalties apply per day.
Review configured breaks
After a break type is added, it appears in the break rule table with the break name, type, duration, and payment details.
Review the configured break details in the table.
Add additional break types if needed.
Select Save to save the break rule.
View or update existing break rules
The Breaks page shows existing rules by audience and start date.
Use All, Everyone, Groups, or Employees to filter rules by audience.
Use Search by audience or rule name to find a rule.
Use Effective as of to view rules based on an effective date.
Turn on Include ended rules to include rules that are no longer active.
Select the rule action to edit (pencil icon) or end (slash circle icon) the rule.
Break waivers and attestations
Break waivers and attestations can be used to capture employee or manager responses when a break is missed, shortened, or handled as an exception.
Clock In/Out devices
Once configured and assigned, Break Waivers and Attestations can appear on the following devices when prompted:
Web Clock through My Portal Clock In/Out
Kiosk
Time Clock Devices
Mobile app
Break waiver on timesheets
To add a Break Waiver from an employee timesheet:
Open the ellipsis options for the daily row on the employee timesheet.
Select Add Break Waiver.
Select Waive Break or Do not waive break.
Select Confirm.
The Break Waiver appears on the timesheet once saved.
Break attestation on timesheets
To add a Break Attestation from an employee timesheet:
Open the ellipsis options for the daily row on the employee timesheet.
Select Add Break Attestation.
Select Attest or Do not attest.
Select Confirm.
The Break Attestation appears on the timesheet once saved.
Break penalty handling
When an employee incurs a Break Penalty, the penalty appears on the employee timesheet.
To waive a penalty:
Open the ellipsis options for the applicable row.
Select Review Break Penalty.
Select Waive Penalty.
The status updates to Waived on the timesheet.
Exceptions report
Once Waivers, Attestations, or Penalties are captured on the timesheet, they also appear in Exceptions. The Exceptions Report provides visibility into break-related compliance events and supports audit review.