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Learn how federal law regulates breaks and meal periods for workers in the U.S. Find out the difference between rest periods and meal periods, and when they are compensable or not.
- Full-Time Employment
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not define...
- Travel Time
Time spent traveling during normal work hours is considered...
- FMLA
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides certain...
- Holiday Pay
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require payment...
- Full-Time Employment
- Summary
- Federal Break Laws
- State Break Laws
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
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When it comes to rest and lunch breaks, it’s easy for managers to assume that a few minutes here and there won’t make a difference. However, this is simply not the case. We’ve seen break-rule violations result in costly lawsuits over the past several years. In April of 2022, an Oregon healthcare facility filed a lawsuit with the federal court syste...
No federal law requires companies to offer breaks during work hours for meals or any other purpose. However, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, federal law says that if a company chooses to allow break periods, any break under 20 minutes should be paid, and any over 30 minutes can be unpaid and classified as “off-the-clock.” So, in essence,...
It is up to the states to choose their own lunch and rest break laws. Some states default to the federal policy, while others have their own set of specific regulations to follow. All meal and rest break laws only apply to non-exempt employees. For exempt employees receiving over $23,000 annually, breaks are at the employer’s discretion. Find your ...
Meal Break: None Rest Break:None Minor Break:14-15-year-old employees who work more than 5 continuous hours get a 30-minute break. Alabama defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 16+. If an employer chooses to provide a break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classifi...
Meal Break: None Rest Break:None Minor Break:Minors ages 14-17 who work 5+ consecutive hours get a 30-minute break. Alaska defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers aged 18 and over. If an employer chooses to provide a break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as me...
Meal Break:None Rest Break:None Minor Break:None Arizona defaults to federal law regarding breaks for all workers. If an employer chooses to provide a meal break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than 30 minutes are classified as meal periods and do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completel...
Meal Break: None Rest Break:None Minor Break:None Arkansas defaults to federal law regarding breaks for workers of all ages. If an employer chooses to provide a break, it must be paid only if it lasts less than 20 minutes. Breaks lasting longer than this do not need to be paid as long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties. The state ...
Meal Break: Employees get a 30-minute paid meal break during a shift that is longer than five consecutive hours. If the employee is relieved of regular work duties and can leave the premises during their break, the break goes unpaid. But if these requirements are not met, the break must be paid at the regular rate of pay. An employee may also waive...
Meal Break: 30 minutes for employees who work 5+ hours. If the break is “duty-free” it goes unpaid. However, if a “duty-free” meal is not possible, the employee may take an “on-duty” meal, in which case the employee must be paid. Rest Break:10 minutes paid per 4 hours worked only for employees in the retail, food and beverage, commercial support, h...
Meal Break: 30 minutes for non-exempt employees who work at least 7.5 hours. Employers are exempt from this requirement only if: 1. Complying endangers public safety 2. The duties of the position can only be done by one employee 3. Fewer than five employees are working a shift in a particular location 4. Operations require employees to be available...
Learn how federal and state laws regulate meal and rest breaks for employees in different industries and locations. Find out the requirements, exceptions, and penalties for failing to comply with lunch hour rules.
Sep 13, 2022 · Find out how paid lunch time varies for exempt and nonexempt workers in the U.S. Learn the rules and exceptions for breaks and lunch breaks according to federal law.
- Susan M. Heathfield
Meal and Rest Breaks for Salaried Workers. Meal and rest break laws only apply to "non-exempt employees." That generally means employees who are paid hourly or earn less than $684 per week ($35,568 per year). Employees who are "exempt" from the Fair Labor Standards Act because they receive a salary and exceed the earnings threshold above ...
- State Laws on Meal BreaksFewer than half the states require employers to provide a meal break. In those states that require meal breaks, employees who work more than five o...
- State Laws on Rest BreaksOnly a handful of states currently require employers to allow employees to take rest breaks throughout the work day. Most of these states provide t...
- Different Rules Apply to Younger WorkersA number of states require employers to allow younger workers to take meal or rest breaks. In states that require breaks for adult workers, the rul...
- What to Do If You Aren't Getting Your BreaksIf you aren't allowed to take legally required breaks, or you're required to work through your breaks without getting paid, contact your state labo...
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- California. The Industrial Welfare Commission Orders requires a half an hour meal period after five hours of work, unless the workday will be completed in six hours or less and the employee and employer have an agreement to waive the meal period.
- Colorado. For every five hours worked, a half an hour lunch is required unless the work day will end within six or less hours in the retail, trade, food and beverage, public housekeeping, medical profession, beauty service, laundry and dry cleaning, and janitorial service industries.
- Connecticut. If employees work for consecutively for seven and half hours or more, a half an hour lunch break is require after the first and before the last two hours of work.
- Delaware. If employees work for consecutively for seven and half hours or more, a half an hour lunch break is require after the first and before the last two hours of work.
Learn the meaning of lunch hour, the time when the people in a school or company eat lunch, and see how to use it in a sentence. Find out the difference between lunch hour and luncheon meat, and explore related words and games.
Learn the meaning of lunch hour, a period of one hour in the middle of the day when people stop work to have lunch, with examples and translations. Find out how to pronounce lunch hour and browse related words and phrases.
