Applies to versions: 2.5

Break Violation Report

The Break Violation Report allows quick identification of employees without a sufficient break in a selectable period of time.

Using the left pane Main Menu » Administration, click on: Reports » Special Reports

Special Reports provide information and data from the system beyond the standard Time Edit/Report. Select a report by clicking on the report name.

Under Schedules, click on: Break Violation Report

• Select Date Range: Choose either a predefined or custom time range in which to run the report.  
  • Use the drop down menu to select a predefined range, such as "This week", "Last Month", and the current and last completed periods for your configured payroll types. You can use this selector to quickly access the most commonly used time ranges.
  • You can also select a custom date range using the From and To fields. Click on the field to display a calendar and then select the date. This field can also be edited in place so just click in the box and type over the displayed date and time.
• Select Employee or Group to filter which Employees you would like to see in the report. It works in conjunction with Employee Selection Groups, and your custom presets will appear in the list.
• Minimum Work Duration:  The report will find and list employees who have worked at least this duration of time. The default, which is 5 hours, matches the break requirements of some states.
• Minimum Work Duration: Include Short Breaks: When checked, breaks shorter than the "Minimum Break Duration" are ignored and calculated as clocked-in time. When unchecked, these breaks will not be ignored and the "Minimum Work Duration" will only consider actual clocked-in time.
• Minimum Break Duration: Specify the length of the minimum required break. A violation will occur if an employee has not taken a break of at least this length. The default, which is 30 minutes, matches the break requirements of some states.
• Time Between Days: Specify the length of the minimum required time between days worked. When an employee has a break of at least this duration, consider it the start of a new "Day."
• Maximum Violations Per Day: Specify the maximum number of violations that can occur within one "Day" as defined by "Time Between Days" above. After this number of violations is reached, additional periods without a minimum break are ignored.

• Click on the View Report button.

Break Violation Report

• Click on the + (plus sign) next to an employee's name in order to view their list of violations.

• To view the details of a Violation Window, click on the date of the violation. The Time Edit/Report will open in a new tab.

EXAMPLES of Break Violations

Example 1: Including Breaks vs Not Including Breaks

In these first 2 diagrams, the employee worked 4 and half hours, taking three 20 minute breaks and one 30 minute break.

If the "Include Short Breaks" box is checked, the employee reaches the 5 hour Minimum Work Duration before they take the 30 minute Minimum Break Duration. This results in a violation in the first 5 hours worked.

If the "Include Short Breaks" box is not checked, the employee reaches the 5 hour Minimum Work Duration after they take the 30 minute Minimum Break Duration. This results in NO violation.

Example 2: Taking the Minimum Break Right Before vs Right After 5 Hours Worked

In these next 2 diagrams, the employee worked 5 and half hours, taking one 30 minute break near the 5 hour mark.

If the employee starts the 30 minute Minimum Break Duration 1 minute before they reach the 5 hour Minimum Work Duration, there is no violation.

If the employee starts the 30 minute Minimum Break Duration 1 minute after they reach the 5 hour Minimum Work Duration, it results in a violation in the first 5 hours worked.

In the following examples, the employees worked a 12 hour shift, though these examples can apply to most shifts over 10 hours.

Example 3: Multiple Violations

If the employee works 12 hours without taking a break, it results in 2 violations: one for the first 5 hour Minimum Work Duration, and one for the second 5 hour Minimum Work Duration.

Example 4: Late Break

Similar to the second diagram in example 2, if the employee works a 12 hour shift taking a 30 minute break near the beginning of the shift then takes a second 30 minute break right at 10 hours, it results in a violation for the second 5 hour Minimum Work Duration.

Example 5: 1 Long Break

The employee worked a 12 hour shift taking a short 20 minute break near the beginning, started a long 90 minute break right before reaching 5 hours, and took another 20 minute break in the second 5 hour duration. Although the employee took multiple breaks, only one met the 30 minute Minimum Break Duration. And even though one break was longer than two 30 minute breaks combined and it seemed to overlap both the first and second 5 hour durations, it was only able to count as one break and for one 5 hour duration. Since the break started during the first 5 hour duration, it resulted in no violations for the first 5 hour Minimum Work Duration, but the second 5 hour Minimum Work Duration received a violation.

Example 6: Break Variations that Comply

If the employee works a 12 hour shift taking two 45 minute breaks, one near the end of the first 5 hours and one just a few minutes later at the beginning of the second 5 hour duration, there are no violations. The difference between this and example 5, is that the employee is clocked-in during the transition from the first 5 hours to the second 5 hour duration, dividing the one long break into 2 separate breaks and leaving one in each duration.

Similar to example 4, if the employee works a 12 hour shift taking a 30 minute break near the beginning of the shift then takes a second 30 minute break right before reaching 10 hours, it results in no violations.

Whether the second 30 minute break ends before or after the 10 hour mark doesn't matter as long as the break starts before the second 5 hour Minimum Work Duration ends.