BREAKS A-270 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: DESIGNATED BREAK AREAS AND TIMES NO: A-270
FILE: BREAKS
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12-25-94 REVISED: 05-05-96, 10-01-97, 07-01-99, 09-01-00,
11-01-11
AUTHORITY: Sheriff M. Mims APPROVED BY: Assistant Sheriff T. Gattie
REFERENCE: Fresno County Sheriff's Office Policies and Procedures Manual
Section 102; Memorandum of Understanding between Unit 2 and
County of Fresno Article 64; and Fresno County Salary Resolution,
Section 1011.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this policy is to establish and maintain designated break areas and times
for correctional staff in order to facilitate facility cleanliness and operational efficiencywhile
maintaining facility security.
POLICY:
It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division that Correctional Officers
shall generally be entitled to two (2) rest periods, and a meal break. Rest periods and meal
breaks will generally be fifteen (15) minutes and thirty (30) minutes, respectfully.
Correctional Officers assigned to a twelve (12) hour workday schedule shall generally be
entitled to three (3) rest periods and a meal break. Rest periods and meal breaks will
generally be fifteen (15) minutes and forty (40) minutes, respectfully. Rest periods and
meal breaks are County-paid time, however, during periods of heavy workload and/or
abnormal staffing shortages, rest breaks may not be possible.
It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division that engaging in personal
non-work-related activities, drinking from non-approved beverage containers, or eating in
any area of any facility not specifically designated for such purposes, or approved by the
Bureau Commander, is prohibited.
It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division that break areas where
eating, drinking, and/or engaging in non-work-related activities is authorized shall be
designated as provided in this policy.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: DESIGNATED BREAK AREAS AND TIMES NO: A-270
FILE: BREAKS
PROCEDURES:
I. DESIGNATED BREAKS
A. Correctional Officers shall generally be entitled to two (2) rest periods,and
a meal break. Rest periods will be fifteen (15) minutes and meal breaks
will be thirty (30) minutes.
B. Correctional Officers assigned to a twelve (12) hour workday schedule
shall generally be entitled to three (3) rest periods and a meal break. Rest
periods and meal breaks will generally be fifteen (15) minutes and forty
(40) minutes, respectfully.
C. Rest periods and meal breaks are County-paid time; during periods of
heavy workload and/or abnormal staffing shortages, rest breaks may not
be possible.
D. Each Jail Division employee is entitled to one (1) meal during each shift,
while on-duty.
II. RESTRICTIONS
A. Officers in fixed positions may not leave their assigned post without first
obtaining relief from another officer.
B. Rest periods may not be cumulative, carried over from one day to another,
used to make up for a late arrival or taken at the end of the shift in order to
leave early, or used to extend a meal break.
C. Rest periods are considered as time worked and are provided to allow
employees to refresh themselves and to conduct limited personal
business, such as making personal telephone calls, smoking, reading, etc.
Employees are NOT authorized to sleep while on break.
D. Officers must remain in uniform and be available to respond to
emergencies and requests for assistance. As such, meals are provided on
site and officers are not permitted to leave the facility to run errands or pick
up food without the prior approval of the Watch Commander.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: DESIGNATED BREAK AREAS AND TIMES NO: A-270
FILE: BREAKS
III. DESIGNATED BREAK AREAS
A. The following areas shall be designated as areas where eating, drinking,
and/or the reading of non work-related reading material is authorized:
1. The designated Main, South Annex, and North Annex staff dining and
locker rooms.
2. The Main, South Annex, and North Annex smoking areas (refer to
Policy and Procedure F-120/Smoking and Smoking Materials [FILE:
SMOKING]).
3. The Main Jail Briefing room/classroom.
4. The Main Jail Conference rooms.
B. Employees shall not eat in view of the public, inmates, or other agency
personnel while inside the jail facilities.
IV. FOOD STORAGE AND APPROVED CONTAINERS IN THE WORK AREAS
A. Food items should be stored in the dining room refrigerators, or in the
lockers provided for securing personal effects, in a manner as to not invite
vermin.
B. Officers may take travel mugs with spill-resistant lids and plastic bottles
with screw-top or pop-up lids to their duty stations. Beverage containers
shall not be set upon a computer, printer, or any security equipment.
C. Approved lunch sacks may be taken to the duty stations, however, food
may not be eaten while on duty and/or at a duty station. Personal lunch
bags and insulated totes permitted at duty stations shall not exceed 12" x
10" x 8".
D. With the exception of approved beverage containers, eating and drinking
is restricted to the designated break areas (unless medically necessary,or
prior approval has been obtained from a Bureau Commander).
V. CLEANLINESS
All employees shall be responsible for the proper disposal of their trash and
the sanitation of their break areas. Employees are expected to remove
crumbs, wipe off sticky surfaces, and clean up after themselves.
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FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
TITLE: DESIGNATED BREAK AREAS AND TIMES NO: A-270
FILE: BREAKS
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