SAN FRANCISCO — Employees who claim Apple denied them timely breaks can proceed as a class in a wage-and-hour suit, a San Diego County judge ruled this week.

Superior Court Judge Ronald Prager certified a class of an estimated 21,000 current and former Apple employees Monday. The class includes employees who say they did not receive breaks consistent with California law from 2007 to 2012, and employees who claim they received their final paychecks late after they ceased working for Apple.