300.32 rest periods, clean up & lunch breaks

1. Number: 300.32
SUBJECT: REST PERIODS, CLEAN-UP TIME & LUNCH BREAKS Page: 1
Date: 4/28/91
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised: 6/19/12
I. PURPOSE
To establish a uniform policy for the proper implementation of rest periods and lunch
breaks for Field Operations employees at OC Animal Care.
II. POLICY
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County of Orange and County
employees addresses the implementation of rest periods and cleanup times. Lunch breaks
are included in assigned shifts and may be scheduled daily by supervision.
The public cannot be expected to know when a uniformed officer is on a rest period or
lunch break. For this reason, uniformed officers are to conduct themselves in a
professional and courteous manner during the entire work shift. No inappropriate
personal activities (e.g., jogging, grocery shopping, house painting, lawn trimming, etc.)
are to be performed while in uniform.
ACCORDING TO THE MOU:
Article I. Workweek, Overtime and Premium Pay
Section 3. Rest Period and Cleanup Time
A. Employees shall be allowed rest periods of fifteen minutes during each four
(4) consecutive hours of work.
Such rest periods shall be scheduled in accordance with the requirements of the
Agency/Department, but in no case shall rest periods be scheduled within one (1)
hour of the beginning or ending of a work shift or lunch period. The County may
designate the location(s) at which the rest period may be taken.
Rest periods shall be considered hours worked and employees may be required to
perform duties, if necessary.
B. Each employee shall, when necessary, be permitted up to fifteen minutes of paid
County time at the end of each work shift to perform such activities such as
cleaning up a work area, putting away tools, personal wash-up and changing
clothes.
III. SCOPE

2. Number: 300.32
SUBJECT: REST PERIODS, CLEAN-UP TIME & LUNCH BREAKS Page: 2
Date: 4/28/91
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised: 6/19/12
Applicable to all Field Operations personnel.
IV. FORMS
Not applicable.
V. REFERENCES
Not applicable.
VI. DEFINITIONS
Not applicable.
VII. PROCEDURE
A. Assignment of Rest Periods
1. The assignment of rest periods is not structured on a daily basis for
Animal Control Officers (ACO). For a ten-hour shift, one rest period is to
be taken no earlier than one hour after the start of the shift and no later
than one hour prior to the assigned lunch break.
2. Breaks will not be allowed to be taken immediately following the morning
briefing by OC Animal Care field personnel without supervisory approval.
ACOs are expected to go in service promptly.
3. The second break is to be taken no earlier than one hour after the assigned
lunch break and no later than one hour prior to the end of shift.
4. Rest periods and lunch breaks are not to be taken outside an assigned area
without supervisor approval. ACOs are subject to receive and handle any
dispatched call, as assigned by supervision.
5. Dispatch is not to be notified when a rest period is taken.
6. All rest periods must be logged on the Officer’s Patrol Log.
B. Cleanup Times
1. Uniformed personnel are allowed up to fifteen minutes at the end of an
assigned shift, when necessary, for personal wash up and to change
clothes.

3. Number: 300.32
SUBJECT: REST PERIODS, CLEAN-UP TIME & LUNCH BREAKS Page: 3
Date: 4/28/91
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised: 6/19/12
2. No overtime will be granted should work duties preclude an officer from
having cleanup time.
C. Assignment of Lunch Breaks (Code 7)
1. During each shift briefing, the Field Sergeant or Watch Commander (WC)
will assign the time for each ACO to take a one-half hour lunch break.
This break is the employee’s time and staff will not be required to perform
duties during this time. Every possible effort shall be made for an
employee to take his/her lunch break at the assigned time.
2. Should an assigned lunch break be missed, the ACO will take his/her
lunch break after 1230 hours on the AM shift and after 1930 on the PM
shift to ensure Code 2 coverage unless authorized by supervision.
3. In the event that an ACO is not able to take his/her assigned lunch break
due to an extended call or numerous Code 2 calls, the ACO shall notify
the WC at least 2 hours prior to the end of the shift. The WC will advise
the ACO of the appropriate action to be taken. A lunch break may be
assigned at an alternate time determined by the WC, but the ACO is
entitled to and shall be provided a lunch break.
4. The use of a County vehicle by a uniformed employee during a lunch
break is limited to driving the vehicle to the location where the lunch
break will be taken. The travel time shall be included in the 30 minute
lunch period.
5. ACOs performing desk duties at OC Animal Care will not be permitted to
drive a County vehicle to the location where their lunch break will be
taken unless it is a County sanctioned event and supervisor approval is
granted.