Break Rules: The Setup

Break Rules take care of paying and recording breaks taken by employees while they work. Breaks can be awarded automatically based on the number of hours worked, or Time Clocks can be used to verify and record the break time taken during a shift.

New Break Rules can be created and setup in a few steps:

Open Time and Attendance > Installation & Maintenance > Break Rules.
Create a new break by pressing Insert and entering the settings for the new Break Rule.
Save the new Break Rule by pressing OK.

Break Rule Overview

1	Break Rule, Description A short identifier for the Break Rule is entered into the Break Rule field, and an additional longer description can also be entered here.
2	Break Type The Break Type can either be `Meal` or `Other`.
3	Threshold, Duration How many hours need to be worked before the break will apply, and how the time allowed for the break can be setup here.
4	Paid, Earning Code, GL Override Mask If the break will be paid or not is controlled here. Paid breaks will generate earnings and time, while unpaid breaks will only generate time. (The Earning Code is used to record the break time.)
5	Punch Required, Punch Action If a punch will be required for the break, that can be setup here.

Attaching breaks to shifts

Break Rules must be attached to a shift in order to function. When attached, the Break Rules of that shift are used to determine when a break will be applied.

To add a Break Rule to a shift, follow these steps:

Open Time and Attendance > Installation & Maintenance > Shifts.
Open the Shift to add the break rule to.

Shift Breaks

Open the Shift Breaks tab of the shift and add the new Shift Rule for to the shift by pressing Insert.
Enter the options for the break:
1. Select the Break Rule that will be used.
2. Enter the period of time when the break can be earned into the From Time and To Time fields.
3. Press OK.
Save the shift by pressing OK.

Break Rules

Each Break Rule can only be used once per shift, but multiple different rules can be assigned.

Break Times

Specifying an optional From Time and To Time restricts when breaks will be generated. (Leave both times blank to allow breaks to be earned at any time.)

If the threshold number of hours for a break has passed and is within the active period of time for that break, the break will automatically be applied.

Given a break that is active between 5:00pm and 10:00pm and an employee begins working a shift at 2:00pm. When that employees reaches the threshold for a break after working 4 more hours, that employee will be awarded the break.

However, if another employee begins working at 8:00pm and works 4 more hours, the break will not be applied. (This is because the time when the break threshold was met would be outside of the active period of time for the break.)