Two shifts in a day? 1 hour minimum wage for the gap.
California requires a 'split shift premium' when a worker is scheduled for two distinct work periods in a day separated by more than 1 hour (other than a meal break). The premium is 1 hour of pay at the applicable minimum wage. The premium is owed only to workers earning at or near minimum wage — workers earning more may have the premium absorbed by their higher rate.
Split Shift Premium
Detects split shift scheduling (gap > 1 hour) and calculates the premium for affected workers. Premium is 1 hour at minimum wage; absorbed by higher hourly rates.
What the rule does when scheduling two work periods in a day.
The hero card configuration: Flag on split detection, Critical on premium calculation. Here's what each does at runtime.
When a manager schedules two work periods for the same worker on the same day with more than 1 hour between them, Teambridge tags the schedule as "split shift." The premium implication is shown.
For workers earning at or near minimum wage, the split shift premium (1 hour at minimum wage) auto-calculates on payroll close. For workers earning enough higher, the premium is absorbed by the differential.
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More than one hour between periods. Premium owed at minimum wage.
Split shifts are most common in food service, retail, and home health — industries where business volume requires staff at lunch and dinner but not in between.
Split = >1 hour gap (other than meal)
A meal period of up to 1 hour is not a split. A gap longer than 1 hour (other than a meal) creates a split. So a worker scheduled 8am-12pm and 4pm-8pm has 4 hours of gap — split shift premium owed. A worker scheduled 8am-12pm and 1pm-5pm with the 12-1 being a meal break has no split.
Premium absorbed by higher rates
The premium is 1 hour at minimum wage, paid as a separate amount on top of regular wages. But if a worker earns enough above minimum that their daily total wages already exceed (regular hours × minimum + 1 hour × minimum), the premium is considered absorbed. Workers at exactly minimum always get the premium; workers earning higher may not.
Teambridge calculates absorption automatically.
Split shift premium math is more complicated than it looks because of absorption. Teambridge runs the calculation correctly per worker per shift.
Schedules tagged at creation.
When a manager schedules two work periods for one worker in one day, Teambridge measures the gap. >1 hour (excluding meal) = split shift, tagged on the schedule.
Absorption math at payroll.
On payroll close, for each split shift day, Teambridge calculates required minimum daily wages (hours × min wage + 1 hour × min wage) and compares to actual wages earned. The differential, if any, is the premium owed.
Premium itemized when paid.
Per § 226, when a split shift premium is paid, it appears as a separate line item on the wage statement. This avoids double-counting and meets disclosure requirements.
Cost shown at scheduling time.
When scheduling a split, the manager dashboard surfaces the projected premium cost for affected workers. The manager can adjust the schedule to avoid the split, accept the premium, or compress the gap to under 1 hour.
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