Help Wanted: Skipping lunch break

"There are no exceptions, except in the case of a one-employee shift," the state Labor Department said.

Here are more details from the department for you to munch on:

"The noonday meal period is recognized as extending from 11 o'clock in the morning to 2 o'clock in the afternoon. An employee who works a shift of more than six hours, which extends over the noonday meal period, is entitled to at least thirty minutes off within that period for the meal period."

And it adds, "If this shift describes this person's work hours, she must take the meal break."

"I hereby waive any and all rights and claims I may have regarding the employer, its agents, employees or representatives, for seeking, gathering, and using truthful and nondefamatory information, in a lawful manner, in the employment process and all other persons, corporations, or organizations for furnishing such information about me."

Storch points out that such a waiver is probably not as scary as it might seem.

"It is rather meaningless since all that is being waived is the use of information in a 'lawful' manner," she said. "If it's being used in a lawful manner, there is no claim to be waived."

Finally, she notes that if what you provided is the entire waiver, it wouldn't be sufficient under the Fair Credit Reporting Act for the employer to run a background check to begin with.

"It doesn't matter if the earnings were from full- or part-time work," said the state Labor Department.

But to continue receiving benefits, she must be willing and able to work:

"If the person was unavailable for any given day or days during the benefit week [say because of illness or other personal reasons], they would lose a prorated share of the weekly benefit."

For more on state labor laws and meal breaks, go to http://bit.ly/PpPds0

For more on what employers should know before conducting background checks, go to http://bit.ly/OZ24AU