Break Tracking

This guide covers how to record breaks during your shift, including automatic break calculations, break policies, and best practices for accurate time tracking.

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Overview

What is Break Tracking?

Break tracking ensures accurate working hours calculation:

1. Break Recording - Log breaks taken during shifts
2. Automatic Deduction - Breaks deducted from total hours
3. Policy Compliance - Ensure legal break requirements met
4. Accurate Payroll - Correct pay calculation

Break Types

Type	Typical Duration	Paid/Unpaid
Lunch Break	30-60 minutes	Usually unpaid
Tea/Coffee Break	10-15 minutes	Usually paid
Rest Break	20 minutes	Legally required
Personal Break	Variable	Depends on policy

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Recording Breaks

Method 1: At Clock Out

The simplest method is recording total break time when clocking out:

1. Click Clock Out on the Time Clock widget
2. Enter total break time in minutes
3. Add notes if needed
4. Confirm to save

// Clock out with break duration
const response = await fetch(`/api/staff/timesheet/entries/${entryId}`, {
  method: 'PUT',
  headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    clock_out_time: '2025-01-14T17:30:00Z',
    break_duration: 45,  // 45 minutes total break
    notes: '30 min lunch + 15 min afternoon break'
  })
})

Method 2: Start/End Break

For real-time break tracking:

1. Click Start Break when taking a break
2. The timer shows break duration
3. Click End Break when returning
4. Break time automatically recorded

Method 3: Edit After Clock Out

If you forgot to record breaks:

1. Go to Timesheet → View Entries
2. Find the relevant entry
3. Click Edit
4. Add break duration
5. Save changes

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Break Duration Validation

Minimum and Maximum Limits

// Source: src/app/api/staff/timesheet/entries/route.ts:70-78
const breakDurationSchema = z.number()
  .min(0, 'Break duration cannot be negative')
  .max(480, 'Break duration cannot exceed 8 hours')
  .optional()

Validation Rules

Rule	Limit	Reason
Minimum	0 minutes	Cannot be negative
Maximum	480 minutes (8 hours)	Cannot exceed shift length
Shift Check	< Total shift	Break must be less than shift

Break vs Shift Validation

// Ensure break doesn't exceed shift duration
const validateBreakDuration = (
  clockIn: string,
  clockOut: string,
  breakMinutes: number
): boolean => {
  const shiftDuration = moment(clockOut).diff(moment(clockIn), 'minutes')

  if (breakMinutes >= shiftDuration) {
    throw new Error('Break duration cannot exceed shift duration')
  }

  return true
}

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Automatic Break Rules

Policy-Based Breaks

Some companies have automatic break policies:

// Automatic break calculation example
const calculateAutoBreak = (shiftHours: number): number => {
  // Example policy: 30 min break for shifts over 6 hours
  if (shiftHours >= 6) {
    return 30  // 30 minutes
  }
  // 15 min break for shifts 4-6 hours
  if (shiftHours >= 4) {
    return 15
  }
  return 0  // No automatic break
}

UK Legal Requirements

Shift Length	Required Break	Notes
< 6 hours	None required	At employer discretion
6+ hours	20 minutes minimum	Uninterrupted rest break
Long shifts	Additional breaks	As per policy

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Break Time Calculation

How Breaks Affect Total Hours

// Source: src/app/api/staff/timesheet/entries/route.ts:120-145
// Total hours = Shift duration - Break duration
const calculateWorkingHours = (entry: TimeEntry): number => {
  const clockIn = moment.tz(entry.clock_in_time, UK_TIMEZONE)
  const clockOut = moment.tz(entry.clock_out_time, UK_TIMEZONE)

  // Raw shift duration in hours
  const shiftHours = clockOut.diff(clockIn, 'hours', true)

  // Break duration in hours
  const breakHours = (entry.break_duration || 0) / 60

  // Net working hours
  const workingHours = shiftHours - breakHours

  return Math.round(workingHours * 100) / 100
}

Example Calculations

Shift	Clock In	Clock Out	Raw Hours	Break	Net Hours
Morning	09:00	13:00	4.00	0 min	4.00
Full Day	09:00	17:30	8.50	30 min	8.00
Long Shift	08:00	20:00	12.00	60 min	11.00

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Break Recording Interface

Time Clock Widget

// Break recording component structure
interface BreakRecording {
  entryId: string
  breakDuration: number  // minutes
  breakNotes?: string
}

// Display break input
const BreakInput = ({ value, onChange }) => (
  <div className="space-y-2">
    <label className="text-sm font-medium">Break Duration (minutes)</label>
    <input
      type="number"
      min={0}
      max={480}
      value={value}
      onChange={(e) => onChange(parseInt(e.target.value))}
      className="form-input"
      placeholder="Enter break time in minutes"
    />
    <p className="text-xs text-secondary-text">
      Total break time taken during this shift
    </p>
  </div>
)

Quick Break Presets

Preset	Duration	Use Case
No Break	0 min	Short shifts
Tea Break	15 min	Quick break
Lunch	30 min	Standard lunch
Extended Lunch	60 min	Long lunch break

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Multiple Breaks

Recording Multiple Breaks

When taking multiple breaks, record the total:

// Example: Recording multiple breaks
const breaks = [
  { type: 'morning tea', duration: 15 },
  { type: 'lunch', duration: 30 },
  { type: 'afternoon tea', duration: 15 }
]

const totalBreakMinutes = breaks.reduce((sum, b) => sum + b.duration, 0)
// Result: 60 minutes total

// Record total in time entry
await updateTimeEntry(entryId, {
  break_duration: totalBreakMinutes,
  notes: 'Morning tea (15), Lunch (30), Afternoon tea (15)'
})

Break Notes

Use notes to detail break breakdown:

Good Notes	Bad Notes
"30 min lunch, 15 min afternoon break"	"45 min"
"Two 20-minute breaks"	"breaks"
"Extended lunch - 60 min (approved)"	""

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Break Policies

Company Break Policies

Companies may have specific break policies:

// Break policy configuration
interface BreakPolicy {
  minimumShiftForBreak: number  // hours
  mandatoryBreakDuration: number  // minutes
  paidBreaks: boolean
  maxBreakDuration: number  // minutes
  autoApplyBreaks: boolean
}

// Example GP Practice policy
const gpPracticeBreakPolicy: BreakPolicy = {
  minimumShiftForBreak: 6,
  mandatoryBreakDuration: 30,
  paidBreaks: false,
  maxBreakDuration: 60,
  autoApplyBreaks: false
}

Industry-Specific Guidelines

Industry	Typical Policy
GP Practice	30 min unpaid lunch for 6+ hour shifts
Restaurant	Staggered breaks during service
Dental	Between patient appointments
Office	Flexible break timing

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Editing Break Records

Modifying Break Duration

To edit a previously recorded break:

// Update break duration
const updateBreak = async (entryId: string, newBreakMinutes: number) => {
  const response = await fetch(`/api/staff/timesheet/entries/${entryId}`, {
    method: 'PUT',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      break_duration: newBreakMinutes,
      notes: 'Updated break duration'
    })
  })

  return response.json()
}

Edit Restrictions

Entry Status	Can Edit Break?
Draft	✅ Yes
Submitted	❌ No - recall first
Approved	❌ No - contact manager
Rejected	✅ Yes - then resubmit

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Break Time Display

Timesheet View

Column	Format	Example
Break	Minutes	30 min
Break	Hours:Minutes	0:30
Percentage	Of shift	5.9%

Summary Statistics

// Calculate break statistics for period
const calculateBreakStats = (entries: TimeEntry[]) => {
  const totalBreakMinutes = entries.reduce(
    (sum, e) => sum + (e.break_duration || 0), 0
  )

  const averageBreak = totalBreakMinutes / entries.length

  return {
    totalBreakMinutes,
    averageBreakMinutes: Math.round(averageBreak),
    totalBreakHours: Math.round(totalBreakMinutes / 60 * 10) / 10
  }
}

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Best Practices

For Accurate Break Recording

1. Record Immediately - Log breaks as you take them
2. Be Precise - Round to nearest 5 minutes
3. Include All Breaks - Tea, lunch, personal
4. Add Context - Note reason for extended breaks
5. Review Daily - Check entries before end of day

Break Timing Tips

Tip	Benefit
Set break reminders	Don't forget to log
Use presets	Quick recording
Check policy	Ensure compliance
Track patterns	Optimise scheduling

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Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Issue	Cause	Solution
"Break exceeds shift"	Break longer than shift	Reduce break duration
Break not saved	Form not submitted	Click save/confirm
Wrong break recorded	Entry error	Edit the time entry
Break missing from hours	Not included	Add break duration

Error Messages

Error	Meaning	Action
"Break duration cannot be negative"	Negative value entered	Enter positive number
"Break duration cannot exceed 8 hours"	Value too large	Check break minutes
"Break duration exceeds shift"	Break > shift length	Reduce break time
"Entry is submitted"	Cannot edit submitted	Recall entry first

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Compliance Considerations

Legal Break Requirements (UK)

Requirement	Details
6+ hour shifts	20 minutes uninterrupted break
Young workers	30 minutes if shift > 4.5 hours
Workplace rest	11 consecutive hours between shifts
Weekly rest	24 hours uninterrupted per week

Recording for Compliance

// Check legal break compliance
const checkBreakCompliance = (entry: TimeEntry): ComplianceResult => {
  const shiftHours = calculateShiftHours(entry)
  const breakMinutes = entry.break_duration || 0

  const warnings = []

  // Check 6+ hour shift has 20 min break
  if (shiftHours >= 6 && breakMinutes < 20) {
    warnings.push('Shifts over 6 hours require minimum 20 minute break')
  }

  return {
    compliant: warnings.length === 0,
    warnings
  }
}

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Related Documentation

• Clock In/Out - Start and end shifts
• Viewing Timesheet - Review hours
• Submitting Timesheet - Submit for approval
• Dashboard - Staff dashboard

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Source Files:

• src/app/api/staff/timesheet/entries/route.ts - Time entries API
• src/lib/validation/timesheet.schemas.ts - Break validation schemas
• src/components/staff/BreakRecorder.tsx - Break recording component
• src/lib/utils/time-calculations.ts - Time calculation utilities