Are slaried employees exempt from the break laws?

"Salaried" and "Hourly" are just payment methods. The key distinction is really "Exempt" and "Non-Exempt". Non-Exempt employees can be paid on either a Salaried or a Hourly basis.

If one looks at the Wage Orders only (basically regulations) then the breaks/meals rules are specific to Non-Exempt employees only. If one instead looks at the California Labor Code, no such distinction is made. However, the penalties only seem to apply to Non-Exempt employee violations.

http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/FAQ_RestPeriods.htm

http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/FAQ_MealPeriods.htm

Thank you for responding. I think it is interesting that the enforcement of the rule is different between these two groups. I am hourly and find it frequently inconvient that I have to take a break. On the other hand exempt employees frequently get taken advantage of by working very long hours with no break. I have been on each side.

At least you realize, Alex, that there are both pros and cons to both exempt and nonexempt status. A lot of people don't.