| State |
Rest Break Laws |
Meal Break Laws |
Information |
| Alabama |
- Employees under the age of 16 are entitled to a 30-minute rest break after every 5 consecutive hours of work.
- Employees aged 16 and above are not entitled to such unpaid or paid breaks.
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- Employees under the age of 16 are entitled to a 30-minute meal break after every 5 consecutive hours of work.
- Employees over 16 years of age are not entitled to such unpaid or paid breaks.
|
- As per federal law, all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday and need to be paid.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, provided employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
|
| Alaska |
- Employees under the age of 18 must be given a documented 30-minute rest break for every 5 hours of work performed consecutively.
- Employees aged 18 and more need not receive such unpaid or paid breaks.
|
- Employees under the age of 18 must be given a documented 30-minute meal break for every 5 hours of work performed consecutively.
- Employees aged 18 and more are not liable to receive such unpaid or paid breaks.
|
- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday. These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid as long as employees don’t work during that time.
|
| Arizona |
- Employers are not obligated to provide rest breaks to employees.
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- Employers have no legal duty to provide meal breaks to employees.
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- Federal Law requires that breaks lasting less than 20 minutes be considered part of the workday.
- These should be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid if employees don’t work during that time.
|
| Arkansas |
- Employers need not provide rest breaks except to minor employees under 16 years of age working in the entertainment industry.
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- Employers may not provide meal breaks to employees except to minor workers under the age of 16 employed in the entertainment industry.
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- In keeping with federal law, employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, only if employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
|
| California |
- Employees are entitled to a paid 10-minute break for every 4 hours of work.
- Sheepherders (under the Agricultural Occupations Order) and household attendants (under the Household Occupations Order), and professional actors are exempt.
- Employers need not provide breaks if the employee’s total work hours are 3.5 hours or less.
|
- Employees working for 5 consecutive hours are eligible for a 30-minute meal break.
- If the work can be completed in 6 hours, the employer and employers may agree to skip the break.
- Employees may be allowed to work during the meal break if the nature of the work prevents relief from duty. This needs to be a paid break and stated in a written agreement between the employer and the employee.
|
- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, as long as employees don’t work during that time.
|
| Colorado |
- A paid 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked must be provided to employees in the retail, service, food and beverage, health and medical, and commercial support services industries.
- The break should ideally be taken in the middle of the day.
- Employees serving other industries may not be entitled to rest breaks.
|
- A 30-minute meal break for every 5 hours worked must be provided to employees in the retail, service, food and beverage, health and medical, and commercial support services industries.
- Employees serving outside the above industries may not be entitled to meal breaks.
- Employees can work during the meal break if the nature of the work prevents relief from duty.
- Employees should get a paid break if they work during the meal period.
|
- As per federal law, all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday and need to be paid.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, provided employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
|
| Connecticut |
- Employers need not provide rest breaks to employees.
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- Employees can be provided with a 30-minute meal break for every 7.5 hours of work done.
- The break should be given after the first 2 hours of the start of the shift, but before the last 2 hours of its end.
- Employers may not provide meal breaks if:
- The break causes a public safety risk
- The duties of the position can be performed by only one particular person
- There are less than 5 people at the job site at a given time
Employees need to be available for unusual or emergency conditions
- Employees should get a paid break if they work during the meal period.
|
- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday. These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| Delaware |
- Employers may not provide rest breaks to employees.
|
- Employees over age 18 must receive a 30-minute meal break for every 7.5 hours of work.
- The break should be given at least 2 hours after the shift starts, but at least 2 hours before it ends.
- Employees under 18 years of age should get a 30-minute meal break for every 5 hours of work.
- Employers may not provide meal breaks if:
- The break results in a public safety risk
- The duties of the position can be performed by only one particular person
- There are less than 5 people at the job site at a given time
- Employees need to be available for unusual or emergency conditions
- Employees are certified by the Board of Education
- Employees can waive their right to meal break by signing a written agreement with the employer.
- Employees should get a paid break if they work during the meal period.
|
- Federal Law requires that breaks lasting less than 20 minutes be considered part of the workday.
- These should be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid if employees don’t work during that time.
|
| Florida |
- Employees under 18 years of age should get a 10-minute rest break for every 4 consecutive hours of work.
- Employees over the age of 18 are not entitled to such unpaid or paid breaks by law.
|
- Employees under 18 years of age should get a 30-minute rest break for every 4 consecutive hours of work performed.
- Employees over the age of 18 are not guaranteed meal breaks.
|
- In keeping with federal law, employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, only if employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
|
| Georgia |
- There is no legal requirement for employers to provide rest breaks to employees.
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- Employers have no legal obligation to provide meal breaks to employees.
|
- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, as long as employees don’t work during that time.
|
| Hawaii |
- Employers need not provide rest breaks to employees.
|
- A 30-minute meal break may be provided to employees under the age of 16 for every 5 hours of consecutive work.
- Employees over the age of 16 may not be entitled to meal breaks.
|
- As per federal law, all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday and need to be paid.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, provided employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
|
| Idaho |
- Employers are not required to provide rest breaks to employees.
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- Employers are not obligated to provide meal breaks to employees.
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- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday. These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid as long as employees don’t work during that time.
|
| Illinois |
- Employers need not provide rest breaks except to employees working as hotel room attendants employed in counties with over 3 million people.
- These employees are entitled to two 15-minute rest breaks work every 7 or more hours of work.
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- Hotel room attendants working in counties with over 3 million people must get a 30-minute meal break for 7 or more hours of work.
- Employees under the age of 16 must be given a 30-minute meal break for every 5 hours of work.
- Employees over the age of 16 are entitled to a 20-minute meal break of every 7.5 hours of work. The break is to be given no later than 5 hours after their shift began.
- Employees working for 12 or more hours can get an extra 20-minute break.
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- Federal Law requires that breaks lasting less than 20 minutes be considered part of the workday.
- These should be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid if employees don’t work during that time.
|
| Indiana |
- Employees over the age of 18 may not be entitled to unpaid or paid breaks.
- Employees under the age of 18 may get one or two breaks amounting to 30 minutes in total if they’re working for 6 or more hours.
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- Employees over the age of 18 may not be entitled to breaks.
- Employees under the age of 18 may get one or two meal breaks amounting to 30 minutes in total if they’re working for 6 or more hours.
|
- In keeping with federal law, employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, only if employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
|
| Iowa |
- Employers may choose to not give any unpaid or paid breaks.
|
- Employees over the age of 16 may not get any meal break.
- Employees under the age of 16 may get a 30-minute meal breaks for 5 consecutive hours of work.
|
- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| Kansas |
- Employers are under no legal obligation to provide rest breaks to employees.
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- Employers need not provide employees with meal breaks.
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- As per federal law, all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday and need to be paid.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, provided employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
|
| Kentucky |
- Employees are entitled to a paid break of 10 minutes for every 4 consecutive hours of work.
- Employees falling under the Federal Railway Labor Act are exempt from this.
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- Employees over the age of 18 can get a “reasonable period” to eat their meals. This may be between the third and fifth hours of their workday. The exact duration of the break isn’t specified by the law.
- Employees under the age of 18 cannot work for more than 5 consecutive hours without receiving a documented 30-minute break.
- Employees falling under the Federal Railway Labor Act are exempt from this.
|
- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday. These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| Louisiana |
- Employers are not obligated to offering rest breaks to employees.
|
- Employees over the age of 18 may not be entitled to meal breaks.
- Employees under the age of 18 must receive a documented 30-minute break for 5 consecutive hours of work.
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- Federal Law requires that breaks lasting less than 20 minutes be considered part of the workday.
- These should be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid if employees don’t work during that time.
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| Maine |
- Employers need not provide rest breaks to employees.
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- Employees are entitled to a 30-minute meal break if they have worked for 6 or more consecutive hours.
- Small businesses with less than 3 employees are excluded from this requirement, provided employees are given shorter breaks throughout the day.
- Employees can waive their meal break rights, but only if it is agreed upon in writing.
- Employees should get a paid break if they work during the meal period.
|
- In keeping with federal law, employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, only if employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
|
| Maryland |
- Only retail employees can receive a 15-minute rest break for working between 4 and 6 consecutive hours.
- Retail employees who work between 6 and 8 consecutive hours can get a 30-minute rest break.
- Retail employees who work more than 8 hours can get an extra 15-minute break for every 5 hours of overtime worked.
- Non-retail employees may not receive rest breaks.
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- Non-retail employees over the age of 18 are not entitled to meal breaks.
- Retail employees can get a 30-minute meal break if they work more than 6 consecutive hours.
- Employees under the age of 18 must be given a 30-minute meal break for 5 consecutive hours of work.
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- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| Massachusetts |
- Employers are under no obligation to provide rest breaks to employees
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- Employees can get a 30-minute meal break if they have worked for 6 hours or more.
- Employees working at paper mills, iron workshops, glass workshops, letter press establishments, print workshops, or bleaching and dyeing workshops are exempt from this.
- The Attorney General may also choose to exclude other factories, workshops, or mechanical establishments.
- Employees who work or agree not to leave their work station through meal breaks must be paid.
|
- As per federal law, all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday and need to be paid.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, provided employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
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| Michigan |
- Employers need not provide meal breaks to employees.
|
- Employees over the age of 18 may not receive meal breaks.
- Employees under the age of 18 can get a 30-minute meal break for 5 or more consecutive hours of work.
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- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday. These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| Minnesota |
- Employers must provide a long enough break to employees at least once every 4 hours.
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- Employers must provide a meal break to employees who work 8 or more consecutive hours.
- The law does not specify the duration of this break.
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- Federal Law requires that breaks lasting less than 20 minutes be considered part of the workday.
- These should be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid if employees don’t work during that time.
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| Mississippi |
- Employers need not provide rest breaks to employees.
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- Employers may not provide meal breaks to employees.
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- In keeping with federal law, employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, only if employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
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| Missouri |
- Employers are obligated to provide rest breaks to employees.
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- Employers have no responsibility to provide meal breaks to employees.
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- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| Montana |
- Employers can choose to not provide rest breaks.
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- Employers have no legal duty to provide meal breaks to employees.
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- As per federal law, all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday and need to be paid.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, provided employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
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| Nebraska |
- Employers have no legal obligation to provide rest breaks.
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- Employees who work at an assembly plant, mechanical establishment, or workshop can receive a 30-minute meal break for 8 or more hours of work.
- Other employees may not be entitled to meal breaks.
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- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday. These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| Nevada |
- Employees who work for at least 3.5 hours are entitled to a 10-minute break (for a shift that lasts less than 7 hours), two 10-minute breaks (for a shift that lasts between 7 and 11 hours), three 10-minute breaks (for a shift that lasts between 11 and 15 hours), or four 10-minute breaks (for a shift that lasts between 15 and 19 hours).
- Employees who work for 3.5 hours or less may not get breaks.
- Breaks should ideally be provided in the middle of the shift, rather than towards the beginning/end.
- Employers with only one employee are exempt.
- The state’s Labor Commissioner can exclude employers who can prove that business necessity prevents relief from duty.
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- Employees who work 8 or more consecutive hours can get a 30-minute meal break.
- Employers managing only one employee are exempt from this mandate.
- Employees can choose to waive their meal break.
- The state’s Labor Commissioner may exclude employers who prove that business necessity prevents relief from duty.
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- Federal Law requires that breaks lasting less than 20 minutes be considered part of the workday.
- These should be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid if employees don’t work during that time.
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| New Hampshire |
- Employers need not offer rest breaks to employees.
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- Employees can receive a 30-minute unpaid meal break for 5 or more consecutive hours of work, unless the employee has been allowed to eat while working.
- Employees should get a paid break if they work during the meal period.
|
- In keeping with federal law, employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, only if employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
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| New Jersey |
- Employers need not provide rest breaks to employees.
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- Employees over the age of 18 are not eligible for meal breaks.
- Employees under the age of 18 can get a 30-minute meal break for 6 or more consecutive hours of work.
|
- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| New Mexico |
- Employers are under no obligation to provide rest breaks.
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- Employers have no legal responsibility to provide meal breaks.
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- As per federal law, all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday and need to be paid.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, provided employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
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| New York |
- Employers need not offer rest breaks to employees.
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- Employees can get a 30-minute meal break if they have worked for 6 or more consecutive hours, and if their shift extends over the noon-day period.
- Employees starting their shift before 11 AM and work beyond 7 PM can get an additional 20-minute break between 5 PM and 7 PM.
- Employee can receive a 45-minute meal break for working for 6 or more consecutive hours, and if their shift starts between 1 PM and 6 AM.
- Factory workers are entitled to an hour-long meal break (between 11 AM and 2 PM) for working for 6 or more consecutive hours, and if their shift extends over the noon-day period.
- Factory workers who work 6 or more consecutive hours, and whose shift begins between 1 PM and 6 AM can get an hour-long meal break.
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- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday. These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| North Carolina |
- Employers are not obligated to provide rest breaks to employees.
|
- Employees over the age of 16 are not entitled to meal breaks.
- Employees under the age of 16 can get a 30-minute meal break for 5 or more hours of consecutive work.
|
- Federal Law requires that breaks lasting less than 20 minutes be considered part of the workday.
- These should be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid if employees don’t work during that time.
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| North Dakota |
- Employers have no legal duty to provide rest breaks.
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- Employees can receive a 30-minute meal break for 5 or more consecutive hours of work, if at least two workers are present at the job site.
- Otherwise, the employer is exempt from this in the absence of at least two workers.
|
- In keeping with federal law, employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, only if employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
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| Ohio |
- Employers have no obligation to provide rest breaks.
|
- Employees over the age of 18 are not entitled to meal breaks.
- Employees under the age of 18 may receive a 30-minute meal break for 5 or more consecutive hours of work.
|
- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| Oklahoma |
- Employers need not provide rest breaks.
|
- Employees over the age of 16 are not entitled to meal breaks.
- Employees under the age of 16 may receive a 30-minute meal break for 5 or more consecutive hours of work, or an hour-long meal break if they work for 8 hours or more.
|
- As per federal law, all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday and need to be paid.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, provided employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
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| Oregon |
- Employees are entitled to a 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours of work.
- These breaks should ideally be given in the middle of the work duration, rather than at the beginning/end.
- Employees over 18 years of age, who work alone during their shift at a retail or service establishment, and have worked less than 5 hours over the past 16 hours, need not be given rest breaks.
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- Employees may be granted a 30-minute meal break for 6 or more consecutive hours of work.
- The break must be given between the 2nd and 5th hours of their shift (if the shift lasts for less than 7 hours), or between the 3rd and 6h hours of their shift (if the shift lasts for more than 7 hours).
- If the employer can prove that 20-minute breaks are standard industry practice, meal breaks may be shortened. But it must be a paid break.
- Employees can eat while they work if the nature of their job prohibits relief from duty. They must also be paid.
- Employees under the age of 16 must be relieved from duty, and cannot eat while working.
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- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday. These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| Pennsylvania |
- Employers need not offer breaks to employees.
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- Employees over the age of 18 are not entitled to meal breaks.
- Employees under the age of 18 are entitled to a 30-minute meal break for working 5 or more consecutive hours.
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- Federal Law requires that breaks lasting less than 20 minutes be considered part of the workday.
- These should be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid if employees don’t work during that time.
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| Rhode Island |
- Employers are not required to give rest breaks to employees.
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- Employees who work between 6 and 8 hours can get a 20-minute meal break.
- Employees working for 8 or more hours can receive a 30-minute break.
- Exemptions may be granted if less than three people are working at the job site, and for employers in the health and medical industry.
|
- In keeping with federal law, employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, only if employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
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| South Carolina |
- Employers need not offer rest breaks to employees.
|
- Employers have no legal obligation to offer meal breaks.
|
- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| South Dakota |
- Employers have no legal duty to provide rest breaks.
|
- Employers need not offer meal breaks.
|
- As per federal law, all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday and need to be paid.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, provided employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
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| Tennessee |
- Employers are not obligated to offer rest breaks.
|
- Employees can receive a 30-minute meal break for 6 or more consecutive hours of work, unless they’ve signed a written agreement waiving their right to one.
- Meal breaks are not to be scheduled during the first hour of the shift.
- Employees may be denied a scheduled meal break if their workplace provides sufficient opportunity to take breaks throughout the day, or if they are tipped employees in the food and beverage industry.
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- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday. These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid as long as employees don’t work during that time.
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| Texas |
- Employers need not provide rest breaks.
|
- Employers are not required to provide meal breaks.
|
- Federal Law requires that breaks lasting less than 20 minutes be considered part of the workday.
- These should be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid if employees don’t work during that time.
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| Utah |
- Employees over the age of 18 are not entitled to rest breaks.
- Employees under the age of 18 can receive a 10-minute rest break for 4 hours of work (Legally, they cannot work for more than 3 consecutive hours without a break).
|
- Employees over the age of 18 need not be offered meal breaks.
- Employees under the age of 18 are entitled to a 30-minute meal break for doing 5 or more consecutive hours of work.
|
- In keeping with federal law, employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, only if employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
|
| Vermont |
- All employees must get “reasonable opportunities” to use the bathroom during the workday.
- The length of the rest break duration is undefined by law.
|
- All employees must get “reasonable opportunities” to eat their meal during the workday.
- The length of the break duration has not been defined by law.
|
- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, as long as employees don’t work during that time.
|
| Virginia |
- Employers are not required to offer rest breaks.
|
- Employees over the age of 16 are not entitled to meal breaks.
- Employees over the age of 16 can receive a 30-minute meal break for 5 or more consecutive hours of work.
|
- As per federal law, all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday and need to be paid.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, provided employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
|
| Washington D.C. |
- Employers need not offer rest breaks.
|
- Employers need not provide meal breaks to employees.
|
- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday. These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid as long as employees don’t work during that time.
|
| Washington |
- Employees who work for 4 consecutive hours are entitled to a 10-minute rest break in the middle of their shift.
- Employees cannot work more than 3 consecutive hours without a rest break.
- Employees under the age of 16 cannot work more than 2 hours without a break.
- Newspaper vendors, household attendants, agricultural laborers, and employees at sheltered workshops are exempt.
- The state’s Director of Labor and Industries may grant additional exemptions.
|
- Employees who work more than 5 consecutive hours can get a 30-minute meal break between two and five hours after their shift starts.
- Employees working 3 or more hours of overtime may receive an additional half-hour break.
- Employees under the age of 16 cannot work more than 4 consecutive hours without an uninterrupted meal break (separate from their rest breaks).
- Newspaper vendors, household attendants, agricultural laborers, and employees at sheltered workshops are exempt.
- The state’s Director of Labor and Industries may grant further exemptions.
- Employees must be given a paid break if they work or are required to remain at the prescribed job site during the meal period.
- Employees under 16 cannot work during meal breaks.
|
- Federal Law requires that breaks lasting less than 20 minutes be considered part of the workday.
- These should be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid if employees don’t work during that time.
|
| West Virginia |
- Employers need not offer rest breaks.
|
- Employees are entitled to a 20-minute meal break for working more than 6 consecutive hours.
- Employees under the age of 16 can get a 30-minute break for 5 or more hours of work.
|
- In keeping with federal law, employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, only if employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
|
| Wisconsin |
- Employers have no legal duty to provide rest breaks.
|
- Employees over the age of 18 are not entitled to meal breaks.
- Employees under the age of 18 may receive a 30-minute meal break for 6 or more consecutive hours of work.
|
- Federal Law mandates all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday.
- These need to be paid breaks.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, as long as employees don’t work during that time.
|
| Wyoming |
- Employers need not offer rest breaks to employees.
|
- Employers need not provide meal breaks.
|
- As per federal law, all employee breaks lasting less than 20 minutes should be considered part of the workday and need to be paid.
- Meal breaks lasting 30-minutes or more may be unpaid, provided employees don’t perform any kind of work during that time.
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