Blog

July 17, 2019

Platform Update: Announcing Location-Based Break Rules

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Given the frequent and often complex changes in labor law, organizations are often faced with contradictory standards and requirements which obstruct the effective management of everyday operations. We wanted to help Humanity customers stay attuned to the latest regulations in all their business locations. Our latest platform update focuses on rules for obligatory schedule breaks.

Introducing Location-Based Break Rules.

How Location-Based Break Rules help enterprises to bridge the gap to compliance

Although federal law does not prescribe meal and rest breaks, several states have mandated rules for work breaks. Moreover, a growing number of companies have started offering breaks to employees to prevent fatigue, increase satisfaction and boost morale.

However, managers find it overwhelming to keep track of their teams, their varying shift schedules, and the obligatory breaks. They need to ensure that each staff member is notified about their breaks, that they use them, and that the breaks don’t overlap.

With Humanity’s new Location-Based Break Rules, managing breaks is virtually automated. Enabling Humanity’s break rules relevant for your business location will automatically add appropriate breaks to each new shift within a schedule. Schedule administrators no longer need to manually set up breaks for every shift and employee, but can simply adjust their start time if necessary. The breaks are visible in the daily timeline, so line managers can easily detect overlap.

There are five predefined location-based options for break rules, in line with the respective state laws—California (two rules), Oregon, Massachusetts, and Washington—as well as an additional universal rule for a 30-minute unpaid break for shifts that last up to 15 hours.

To provide even more assistance to managers, we have also introduced conflict alerts for breaks which are triggered if any of the break rules conditions are not met:

  • When breaks are scheduled at the time not defined by the break rule
  • When the duration of the break is shorter than defined by the break rule
  • When all breaks defined by the break rule are removed

Ensuring employees take their required breaks is simple; Humanity sends email and SMS notifications 15 minutes prior to their break start time. Employees are also offered an overview of their scheduled breaks in their shift details.

6 advantages of location-based schedule breaks

  • Comprehensive settings—manage paid and unpaid breaks in line with labor regulations in California, Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts, or take advantage of the additional universal break rule
  • Add breaks automatically—enabling Location-Based Break Rules makes creating compliant shift schedules seamless
  • Stay aware of conflicts and easily resolve them—Humanity will notify scheduling administrators instantly if scheduled breaks do not adhere to break rules
  • Ensure full coverage at all times—see how many staff members are scheduled to go on a break at the same time to minimize the risk of overlapping breaks
  • Cleaner and larger interface—allowing easier management of breaks settings
  • Remind employees to take breaks—enable break notifications via email and SMS

Enable Location-Based Break Rules on your Humanity account today

To activate and use Location-Based Break Rules, Admin, Manager, Supervisor or Scheduler account permissions are required. Find detailed instructions on how to choose and enable break rules in line with the needs of your organization. And be sure to share your experience with us via feedback@humanity.com.

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