How often do we have to renew the written meal period waiver?

California law allows meal period waivers by mutual consent for shifts of 6 hours (first meal) and up to 12 hours (second meal, if the first was not waived). A written waiver is not required in these cases.

There is no set rule for how often a written waiver must be renewed. However, it is best practice to obtain one and review or update it periodically based on how frequently the employee works waiver-eligible shifts.

In a 2025 case, a California Court of Appeal concluded that a written prospective or “blanket” meal period waiver for work shifts between five and six hours was valid in the