The company I work for is trying very hard to have us take our mandatory 1/2 hour lunch break every day. While laudable, I sometimes find it very frusterating and disruptive to my workflow. On busy days I prefer to power thru and finish what needs to be done before the end of the day. I prefer to leave on time rather than stay late. If - occasionally - I choose not to take the lunch break, can I be held liable/accountable? Is it grounds for dismissal (a colleague said it was!) I am a non-exempt employee, so working thru lunches is reflected on timecards. Our manager is coming down hard on us to enforce this. Some colleagues guise their 1/2 hour lunches and just tack on the 1/2 hour at the end of the day. . . others just note taking their lunch eventhough they work it.
Any advise is greatly appreciated.

CA law says you "must" take a meal break if you work over 6 hours ( might be less I am uncertain on that) if you dont your company will get very stiff fines from state. So yes you can be fired for not doing so

In your state, the lunch break is required by law. You can be fired for not taking it. Your co-workers who are indicating that they take it while working through it can also be fired, as can the ones who work through the assigned time and then leave half an hour early.

In other words, the only safe way to handle this is to take the lunch break every day when you are supposed to.

Ca. employers may not employ a non-exempt employee for a period of more than 5 hrs. per day w/o providing the employee with a meal period, which may be unpaid, of at least 30 min., with the exception that if the total work period per day of the employee is no more than 6 hrs., the meal period can be waived by mutual written consent both employer & employee.

You need to take your lunch as your mgr. indicates - if you work through it, you would have to be paid but you can be disciplined up to & including being fired.

wow. Very fast replies and responses are sobering. Not the answers I wanted to hear! But I guess I'll start taking those lunches. Thank you very much.