Overview
Wrapbook automatically calculates meal penalties based on the meal break setting configured for each project work location, including work from home (WFH) locations. This article explains the three non-union meal break setting types, when Wrapbook applies a penalty, and how to configure the setting for your project.
What are non-union meal break settings and why do they matter?
For non-union workers, Wrapbook offers three meal break setting types that determine how meal breaks are tracked and whether a penalty is applied when a worker's meal break is delayed or missed. Wrapbook calculates and applies any resulting penalties automatically — no manual adjustment is needed.
The setting you choose for your project determines:
How meal break time is recorded on a worker's timecard
Whether and when a meal penalty is triggered
How the penalty amount is calculated
Note: Meal break settings apply to non-union workers only. Union workers' meal break rules are governed by their union agreement and are handled separately.
The three meal break setting types
California Meal Settings
What it means: This setting follows California's meal break rules. Under California law, workers are entitled to a 30-minute unpaid meal break after no more than 6 hours of work, per IWC Article 12 (the motion picture industry wage order). For shifts of 6 hours or less, workers may voluntarily waive their meal break by mutual consent.
How it works:
If a worker's meal break is not provided within the required window, or if the meal break does not meet the 30-minute minimum, Wrapbook automatically calculates a meal penalty — typically one additional hour of pay at the worker's regular rate
The penalty is added to the worker's timecard without manual input from the admin
IWC Article 12 allows a maximum of 1 hour of unpaid meal time. If a meal period exceeds 1 hour, all time beyond the 1-hour mark counts as time recognized (paid hours).
When to use it: This setting is required for productions working in California. It is also common industry practice to use California meal settings for non-California shoots — many productions in states without specific meal break laws choose this setting voluntarily. If you're considering using California meal settings for a non-California production, consult your legal or compliance team for guidance.
Deductible Meals
What it means: With this setting, meal breaks are unpaid and automatically deducted from total hours worked. Workers clock out at the start of their meal break and clock back in when they return.
How it works:
The meal break duration is deducted from the worker's total time, so they are not paid for time spent on the meal break
Because the break is explicitly tracked via clock-out/clock-in, no meal penalty is triggered under this setting
When to use it: Use this setting when your production expects workers to have genuine unpaid meal breaks and the break time will be tracked via timecard clock entries.
Paid Meals
What it means: With this setting, meal breaks are treated as paid time. Workers may still clock out for their meal break, but doing so will create a discrepancy between time worked and time recognized — since break time is counted as paid hours regardless, the clock-out entry does not reduce pay.
How it works:
The meal break is included in total hours worked, so workers are paid for the full period including the break
Because the break is paid, no meal penalty is triggered — the worker is compensated for their time regardless of when the break occurs
When to use it: Use this setting when your production pays workers through meal breaks as a matter of policy or contractual obligation.
How to configure the meal break setting for your project
Meal break settings are configured per work location in each project's Payroll and Location settings.
In the left-side navigation, select your project
In the left-side navigation, click Project Settings
In the PROJECT SETTINGS submenu, click Payroll and Location management
On the Complete payroll setup page, scroll down to the Location section where you can do either of the following:
Click the kebab menu (⋮) next to a location to Edit its meal break setting
Click the + Add work location button to configure a meal break setting for a new location
To set meal break rules for work from home (WFH) locations, scroll down to the Non-union meal settings for all work from home (WFH) locations dropdown menu and make your selection
Note: Changing this setting mid-project will affect how future timecards are calculated. Review any pending timecards before making a change.
What happens after the setting is applied
Once configured, Wrapbook handles the rest automatically:
For California Meal Settings, Wrapbook monitors timecard data and applies a meal penalty whenever the break window is missed, the meal period is shorter than 30 minutes, or the meal period exceeds 1 hour
For Deductible Meals, Wrapbook deducts break time from total hours based on worker clock entries
For Paid Meals, Wrapbook counts break time as part of regular paid hours
No manual calculation or timecard adjustment is required for meal penalty calculations.
Meal break settings FAQ
To help you understand meal break settings in Wrapbook, we’ve put together this list of frequently-asked questions.
Click the arrow next to a question to see the answer.
Why does my worker have a meal penalty on their timecard?
A meal penalty appears when the project is configured with California Meal Settings and the worker's meal break was not provided within the required time window. Wrapbook adds the penalty automatically. To review the specific timecard, go to the Timecards dashboard and open the worker's timecard.
What is the difference between California Meal Settings and Deductible Meals?
California Meal Settings monitor break timing and trigger a penalty if the break is late or missed. Deductible Meals simply deduct unpaid break time from total hours — no penalty is applied, because the break time is explicitly tracked via clock entries.
My crew is filming in Texas — do I still need California Meal Settings?
Not necessarily. California Meal Settings are required only when your project work location is in California. For productions in other states, you may choose the setting that best fits your production's policies. Many productions use California settings as a standard practice even outside California; however, this is an editorial and legal decision. Consult your legal team if you're unsure.
What if my project changes location mid-shoot?
If your production moves to a different state or jurisdiction during a shoot, review your meal break setting to ensure it still reflects your intended policy and any applicable legal requirements for the new location. Reach out to the Wrapbook Support Team or your Customer Success Manager if you need help updating your settings.