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Question: How many breaks at work are required by law?

Answer: State Laws usually mandate when employers must give you "rest periods" or breaks. How much and when depends mostly on the discretion of the employer, but there are some legal protections.

There is no federal law that gives you meal or rest breaks. However, states sometimes have labor laws which mandate time off for meals (like a lunch break) or for a rest break (perhaps a mid-afternoon break). Further, labor unions oftentimes have specific contracts that explicitly mandate time for breaks. Whether or not you can get paid during breaks depends on your employer and on the same state labor laws.
Comments
31 thru 35 of 92 comments
On 11/09/05
jennifer from CA said:
I like to work through my lunch break and just snack at my desk all day so I can get out of work early. My company says Its the law that I have to take at least a 1/2 hour lunch break. Is this true? Do I have to take a lunch.
On 09/03/05
Kelly from AZ said:
i work at a place, and i can work up to 14 hour shifts and not get a break of any sort, is that right?
On 08/16/05
lorraine from Othr said:
i work for *a company* and i normaly work 6 and a half hours a day and i only get half an hour break. is that right?
On 08/10/05
justin from TX said:
i work for a gas station...they tell us that we are not allowed to take breaks and lunches to the work in the store. if we get caught taking a break it is grounds for written warnings. why can't gas staions employers give breaks? iis it fair?
On 07/25/05
Bill from TX said:
i work for a warehouse in houston we get a 15 break in the morring and 30 min lunch break and a 10 min break in the afternoon. we are there for 8 hours do they have to pay us for the full 8 hours
31 thru 35 of 92 comments


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