Breaks on the Kiosk
FabWise tracks your meal breaks and personal time during your shift. Break time is deducted from your hours worked.
Why it matters
Breaks affect your pay. Break time — a 30-minute meal break, or personal time — is deducted from your hours worked. Tracking breaks accurately means your net hours are correct and your pay is right.
How it works
When you start your shift, FabWise creates your entitled meal break based on your account's settings. It appears on the kiosk break screen as a button you can tap. Personal time is there whenever you need it.
Two types of breaks
| Type | How it works | Who starts it | Paid? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal Break | One tap — tap the button, break is recorded with the standard duration | System creates it | Unpaid (deducted from hours worked) |
| Personal Time | You start it, you end it — actual duration is recorded | You initiate it | Unpaid (deducted from hours worked) |
What happens to your hours
Your net hours are calculated as:
Gross hours (start to end of shift) minus unpaid break time (meal breaks + personal time) = net hours worked
Where to find it
- Kiosk: during your shift, the break screen shows your available breaks
- Workstation: the Break card on your dashboard (visible during active shift)
What you'll see
Available breaks
Your meal break appears as a card:
- Meal Break — "30 min" — with a Take Break button
If personal time is enabled, you'll also see:
- Personal Time — with a Start button
After taking a break
The break card shows a green checkmark with the time it was taken. You can't take the same entitled break twice.
Personal time in progress
When you start personal time, the screen shows "Break In Progress" with the elapsed time and an End Break button. Tap it when you return.
Skipping a break
If you choose not to take a meal break, your supervisor may see a prompt about it when reviewing your shift. Skipping breaks is your choice, but it's recorded.
What to do
Take your meal break when it makes sense. The system doesn't force you to take breaks at specific times — you decide when during your shift to tap the button.
For personal time: start it when you leave, end it when you're back. The actual duration is what matters.
If you forget to end personal time: tell your supervisor. They'll see the break is still open and can handle it during shift review. FabWise also automatically closes open breaks when you end your shift.
Common questions
Q: Do I have to take my meal break?
A: That depends on your account's settings and your state's laws. Under federal FLSA, meal breaks are not mandated. Some states require them. If your account has break tracking enabled, FabWise will record whether you took or skipped your break.
Q: Can I take more than one personal time break per shift?
A: Yes. Each one is recorded separately. All personal time is deducted from your net hours.
Q: What if I take a shorter meal break than required?
A: The actual duration is recorded. If your state has minimum meal break requirements, your supervisor will see this during review.
Q: Why does personal time flag my shift for review?
A: Personal time is variable — you control the duration. Your supervisor reviews it to confirm the time is reasonable. This is transparency, not a penalty.
Related
- [Personal Time](personal-time.md)
- [Start Shift](start-shift.md)
- [End Shift](end-shift.md)
- [Shift Review](../time-tracking/shift-review.md)
Last updated: 2026-05-24