Break Compliance gives you a configurable rule layer for enforcing your company's break policies — automatically flagging missed, short, and late breaks, automatically deducting missing breaks where you don't need to prove one was taken, and optionally hard-blocking early clock-ins where you need the strongest enforcement.

Quick Answer

Break Compliance is built into your existing Break settings — nothing new to install. To turn it on:

Go to Company > Time settings > Policies > Edit policy > Breaks.
Click the pencil icon on a break type and add one or more Break requirements to start flagging Missing, Short, and Late breaks.
Optionally turn on Auto-deduction to automatically deduct a missing break at save or clock-out.
Optionally turn on Enforce break lockout to hard-block early clock-ins at Time Clock and Kiosk.

Requires the Performance Plan. Everything is off by default.

What Is Break Compliance?

Break Compliance is one configurable policy layer built on top of your existing Break settings, delivered as three capabilities you can use independently or together:

Detection & Visibility — configure when a break becomes required based on shift length, and Raken automatically flags Missing, Short, and Late breaks across web and mobile, with export to PDF or CSV.
Automation — automatically deduct a missing break the moment a timecard is saved or a worker clocks out, so payroll doesn't need to catch and fix it manually.
Prevention — hard-block an early clock-in from a short break at Time Clock and Kiosk until the minimum duration has elapsed, with Supervisor Clock as the only override.

Detection & Visibility

Add one or more Break requirements to any break type — each one sets a shift length after which the break becomes mandatory, and an optional deadline for when it must start. Once a break type has a requirement configured, Raken automatically flags:

Missing Break — a required break was never recorded
Short Break — a break was recorded but ended before the minimum duration
Late Break — a break started after the configured deadline

These alerts show inline on Entries, Summary, and Weekly Grid, on a dedicated Breaks tab on the Issues page, and on mobile — for both supervisors and field workers. See How to Create Breaks for Time Policies in Raken for full setup steps.

Automation

Turn on Auto-deduction for a break type to have Raken automatically apply the missing break the moment a timecard is saved or a worker clocks out — no manual deduction needed. It only fires for a Missing Break; Short and Late breaks still surface as Detection alerts, but are never auto-adjusted.

Auto-applied breaks are marked with a lightning-bolt icon wherever entries appear — Review, Entries, and mobile — so it's always clear a deduction was automatic.
Supervisors adjust or remove an auto-applied break through the normal Edit time card flow — there's no separate approval step. Once removed, it won't be re-applied.
Every auto-deduction is captured in a read-only events log under Review > Events, alongside break lockout overrides — this is your audit trail.

Automation is built for non-mandatory-break states. It's a payroll convenience that assumes the break happened — it doesn't confirm one was actually taken. If you operate in California, New York, Colorado, or another mandatory-break state, rely on Detection to validate that breaks occurred, rather than Automation alone.

Prevention

Turn on Enforce break lockout for a break type to hard-block workers from clocking back in at Time Clock or Kiosk until the break's minimum duration has elapsed. This applies to everyone, including supervisors, at those two entry points. Supervisor Clock is the only override — a supervisor can end a worker's break early from there, with a warning that doing so breaks compliance. Manual and supervisor-entered time cards are not affected by lockout.

Which Capability Fits Your Situation

Your situation	Start with	Why
Operating in California, New York, Colorado, or another mandatory-break state	Detection	You need to be able to show a break actually happened — Detection creates that record.
Operating only in non-mandatory-break states; currently deducting breaks manually	Automation	Removes the manual deduction step and overpayment exposure — you don't need to prove a break was taken.
High PAGA exposure or comparing against enterprise time platforms	Detection + Prevention	Detection for the record, Prevention for active enforcement at the punch point.
Multi-state crews	Detection, scoped by policy — layer Automation onto non-mandatory-state policies	Assign different Time Policies by jurisdiction and configure requirements per policy.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

Does Break Compliance make my company legally compliant with break laws?

No. Break Compliance is a policy tool — it enforces the rules you configure and creates a record, but it does not determine or guarantee legal compliance. You're responsible for making sure your configured policies reflect the laws that apply to your business.

Does this change how workers clock in and out?

No — clock-in and clock-out are unchanged, and no retraining is required. The only worker-facing change anywhere in Break Compliance is the lockout message at Time Clock or Kiosk, and only if you turn on Enforce break lockout.

Are there pre-built templates for state break laws, like California?

No. There are no pre-built state-law templates. You configure Break requirements to match your own company's policies. This is intentional — see the compliance note above.

Can workers dispute a break alert, an automatic deduction, or a lockout in the app?

No. There's no in-app dispute mechanism for any of the three capabilities. Disputes are handled directly between the worker and their supervisor, who can make corrections through the normal time card edit flow.

What triggers an automatic deduction, and can I approve it first?

Only a Missing Break triggers auto-deduction — Short and Late breaks are never auto-adjusted. There's no approval gate; the deduction applies automatically and shows a lightning-bolt icon. A supervisor only acts if they want to change or remove it, through the normal Edit time card flow.

Should I turn on Automation if I operate in a mandatory-break state like California?

Automation assumes a missing break happened without confirming it did — it's built for non-mandatory-break states. In CA, NY, CO, or other mandatory-break states, lead with Detection to validate that breaks actually occurred.

Considerations

Requires the Performance Plan. Everything is off by default.
A break type generates no Detection alerts until it has at least one Break requirement configured. Automation and Prevention are independent toggles and don't require a Break requirement.
Automation (auto-deduction) only fires for a Missing Break, applies live at save or clock-out, and is marked with a lightning-bolt icon. Once removed by a supervisor, it won't be re-applied.
Break lockout applies to Time Clock and Kiosk only — not manual or supervisor-entered time cards.
Automatic deductions and lockout overrides are both recorded in a read-only events log under Review > Events.
This is a policy tool, not a compliance authority — Raken does not determine or guarantee legal compliance with break laws.
Break Alerts cannot be dismissed — the underlying time card must be corrected to clear one.

What Is Break Compliance in Raken?