Nearly two decades after the California Supreme Court concluded that meal and rest period premiums constitute wages or premium pay governed by a three-year statute of limitations rather than the one-year statute of limitations governing penalties, meal and rest period claims continue to be a fixture in California employment litigation. Subsequent cases further refined the scope of these claims, dictating, among other things, the way in which premium pay is calculated, whether meal periods can be rounded, how rest periods are compensated for employees earning piece rate wages, and whether unpaid premiums trigger derivative penalties. This week’s legal update provides a refresher regarding employers’ meal period obligations.