Comprehensive Guide to US Work Break Laws for 2025

Taking regular breaks is essential for employee productivity — but not many employees have this benefit.

In fact, most US workers take breaks according to employer-set regulations. This is because federal policies regarding meal and rest breaks are vague, allowing employers to set their own break guidelines.

Although some employers create their own break policies, they generally follow either the state or federal laws regarding work breaks.

In this article, we will examine how federal and state break laws affect employers and employees in the US and what they are all about.

The federal law doesn’t require employers to provide meal or rest breaks to their employees.
Employers who decide to offer meal breaks that last less than 20 minutes must consider them compensable.
Breaks that exceed 20 minutes are not considered compensable under federal law.
Many states have set up their own break regulations when it comes to lunch and meal breaks.

*Note: The information regarding break laws and regulations by state has been checked and updated for 2025.

Table of Contents

What are break laws?

Break laws define when and how employees can use work breaks during their work. Although break regulations are determined on federal and state levels, they largely depend on employers as they decide whether or not to offer breaks and how long they will last.

Nonetheless, employers are restricted by federal and state law when determining break period regulations in their workplace.

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Federal break laws

The US Department of Labor doesn’t require employers to provide lunch or coffee breaks to employees. However, if the employer offers such breaks, they must be paid if they last less than 20 minutes.

Moreover, the break time is counted towards hours worked and will be considered when determining any potential overtime the employee accrues.

Federal regulations don’t consider meal periods (which usually last at least 30 minutes) as work time, and employees aren’t compensated for them.

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State break laws

Overall, federal laws apply in every US state only if no state law offers better benefits to employees. If that’s the case, the state law will take precedence.

This becomes even more important when it comes to break laws since the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) doesn’t have mandatory break requirements.

In fact, according to FLSA break regulations, it’s explicitly stated that it is up to the employers to set break laws as they wish, as long as they don’t break any discriminatory laws.

Work break compensation

As previously mentioned, the federal government states that no break is necessary and, therefore, should not be paid. However, this applies exclusively to breaks lasting more than 20 minutes.

If the break lasts 5 to 20 minutes (the usual duration of a short break), the time will count toward compensable hours and will be considered when calculating overtime.

For example, if an employee works 10 hours a day and their contract states that the additional meal break lasts 30 minutes, 10 hours and 20 minutes are compensable and will be counted towards overtime since only 20-minute breaks or less can be paid for.

Break laws by state

Break laws differ in every US state and they are usually classified into 4 categories:

Meal breaks,
Rest breaks,
Minor breaks, and
Miscellaneous (other) breaks.

Take a look at the table below to get all the information you need regarding break laws.

State	Meal break	Rest break	Minor break	Other breaks
Alabama	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute break after working more than 5 straight hours — refers to 14 and 15-year-olds.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Alaska	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute break after working more than 5 straight hours — refers to 14 to 17-year-olds.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Arizona	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Arkansas	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	Required for minors under 16 working in entertainment — the break duration is up to the employer.	The employer can require that the employee take a lactation break during rest and meal breaks, if provided.
California	A 30-minute paid meal break if an employee works for more than 5 consecutive hours.If the shift lasts for more than 10 hours, an additional meal break is required.	A 10-minute rest period for every 4 hours worked.	Adult break regulations apply.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Colorado	A 30-minute paid meal break if an employee works for more than 5 consecutive hours.	A 10-minute rest period for every 4 hours worked.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Connecticut	A 30-minute paid meal break if an employee works for more than 7.5 consecutive hours.Exceptions:– If only one employee can perform the necessary duties,– If the break creates a threat to public safety measures,– If the operation requires that employees are available to respond to urgent matters, and– If the employer has less than 5 employees in a particular shift.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Delaware	A 30-minute paid meal break if an employee works for more than 7.5 consecutive hours.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute paid meal break for minor employees for every 5 consecutive hours.	Mandatory paid lactation breaks, per employee’s decision.
District of Columbia	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	/	Paid or unpaid, the duration of the lactation break is up to the employee (as long as it’s reasonable) and is required.
Florida	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute paid meal break period for minor employees for every 4 consecutive hours.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Georgia	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	All Georgia minors are entitled to a 1-hour meal break or a 30-minute meal break and an additional 30 minutes for rest or recreation.	Mandatory paid lactation breaks — the duration of the break is up to the employee.
Hawaii	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute paid meal break for minor employees for every 5 consecutive hours.	Lactation breaks are mandatory for businesses with more than 50 employees.If there are fewer than 50 employees, it’s up to the employer to decide whether they will give a lactation break (unspecified amount of time).
Idaho	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Illinois	20-minute meal breaks (at least) for employees that work 7.5 hours continuously.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute paid meal break for minor employees under 16 for every 5 consecutive hours.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Indiana	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	All Indiana minors are entitled to 1 or 2 rest breaks that total at least 30 minutes if they work more than 6 consecutive hours.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Iowa	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute paid meal break for minor employees for every 5 consecutive work hours.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Kansas	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Kentucky	Employees are entitled to a reasonable meal break.	A 10-minute rest break every 4 hours of work.	A 30-minute paid meal break for minor employees for every 5 consecutive work hours.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Louisiana	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute paid meal break for minor employees for every 5 consecutive hours.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Maine	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	A 30-minute rest break after working for 6 consecutive hours.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Maryland	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute paid meal break for minor employees for every 5 consecutive hours.	An employer is required to provide (un)paid breaks to employees if they work in a retail establishment.
Massachusetts	A 30-minute unpaid meal break for working more than 6 hours a day.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Michigan	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute paid meal break period for minor employees for every 5 consecutive hours.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Minnesota	Sufficient time to eat a meal must be provided to all employees — usually 20 minutes.	Sufficient time to use the restroom every 4 hours.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Mississippi	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Missouri	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	Youth workers in the entertainment industries can’t work more than 5 and a half hours without a meal break. Moreover, youth workers are entitled to a 15-minute break after every 2 hours of continuous work.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Montana	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Nebraska	Breaks aren’t required by state, except for employees in mechanical establishments, workshops, and assembling plants. These employees are entitled to a 30-minute break for every 8 consecutive work hours.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Nevada	A 30-minute meal break for employees working 8 continuous hours.	10-minute breaks every 4 hours of work.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
New Hampshire	A 30-minute meal break for employees working 5 continuous hours.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute meal break for minor employees working 5 continuous hours. This break can be prolonged if needed.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
New Jersey	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute meal break for minor employees for every 5 consecutive hours.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
New Mexico	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
New York	Factory workers:– A 60-minute break between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.– A 60-minute break midway through shifts that start between 1:00 p.m. and 06:00 a.m.Non-factory workers:– A 30-minute work lunch break between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. for shifts lasting 6 hours or longer during this period.	An additional 20-minute break between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. for shifts that start before 11:00 a.m. and extend after 7:00 p.m.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
North Carolina	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute break for employees under 16 that work 5 continuous hours a day.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
North Dakota	A 30-minute unpaid break when an employee has been working for 5 continuous hours, and there are 2 or more employees on duty.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Ohio	A 30-minute unpaid meal break for employees working 8 continuous hours.	Employees are allowed 2 rest periods up to 15 minutes for every 8 hours worked.	A 30-minute break for minor employees that work 5 continuous hours a day.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Oklahoma	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute break for every 5 hours worked and a 1-hour break for every 8 hours worked.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Oregon	A 30-minute unpaid break for 8 hours of work.	2 rest periods of up to 10 minutes for 8 work hours.	Same as adults for meal breaks — 15-minute rest breaks instead of 10-minute breaks.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Pennsylvania	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute break for minor employees that work 5 continuous hours a day.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Rhode Island	A 20-minute break for employees working 6 continuous hours and a 30-minute break if they work for 8 straight hours.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
South Carolina	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
South Dakota	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Tennessee	A 30-minute unpaid break for 6 hours of continuous work.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute break for minor employees that work 6 continuous hours a day.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Texas	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Utah	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute break no later than 5 hours into the workshift, 10-minute break for each 4 hours of consecutive work.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Vermont	A reasonable time for a meal break must be provided — if it lasts less than 20 minutes, it is paid.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Virginia	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute break for minors under the age of 16 that work for 5 consecutive hours.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Washington	A 30-minute break for every 5 consecutive hours worked — between the 2nd and the 5th hour of the shift.	A 10-minute break after working for 4 consecutive hours.	A 30-minute break for every 4 consecutive hours worked for 14 and 15-year-olds.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
West Virginia	A 20-minute break for employees that work more than 6 hours.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-minute break if the shift lasts for more than 5 hours.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Wisconsin	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	A 30-min break for all minors — 16 and 17-year-olds must rest for 8 hours if the following shift is scheduled after 8 p.m.	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).
Wyoming	Not required by state law; federal rules apply.	Federal rules apply.	/	Breastfeeding employees are entitled to a break to pump at work for 1 year after the child’s birth (unspecified amount of time).

Frequently asked questions about break laws in the US

To make this article as comprehensive as possible, we have included an FAQ section where we will answer the most common questions about break laws.

Are breaks legally required in the US?

Employers in federally governed US states aren’t legally required to offer breaks to their employees. If they choose to do so, they must adhere to federal policies and pay for the breaks if they last less than 20 minutes.

If the state in question has its own break laws that offer better benefits to the employees, employers are legally required to adhere to them.

How long is a work lunch break?

Although there are no federal restrictions on the duration of lunch breaks, according to FLSA regulations, all meal breaks should last around 30 minutes, depending on the job.

Moreover, most state laws have capped meal breaks to 30 minutes, which is why most US employers follow the same regulations.

Do lunch breaks count as working hours?

If the work lunch break lasts 20 minutes or less, it doesn’t matter if the state you work in follows the federal or state laws — the break will be paid. Furthermore, the time will be counted toward your overtime.

How long can you work without a break?

Federal law doesn’t require employers to provide breaks for employees. Therefore, if no state law requires breaks, employees can work as long as they want without a break.

What states require lunch breaks?

The following is the list of all US states that legally require employers to provide paid or unpaid meal breaks to their employees:

California — paid, 30-min meal breaks,
Colorado — paid, 30-min meal breaks,
Connecticut — paid, 30-min meal breaks,
Delaware — paid, 30-min meal breaks,
Illinois — paid/unpaid, 20-min meal breaks,
Kentucky — paid/unpaid, 20-min meal breaks,
Massachusetts — unpaid, 30-min meal breaks,
Minnesota — unpaid, usually 20-min meal breaks,
Nevada — paid/unpaid, 30-min meal breaks,
New Hampshire — paid/unpaid, 30-min meal breaks,
New York — paid 60-min meal breaks (factory workers)/ paid 30-min meal breaks (non-factory workers),
North Dakota — unpaid, 30-min meal breaks,
Oregon — unpaid, 30-min meal breaks,
Rhode Island — unpaid, 20-min meal breaks,
Tennessee — unpaid, 30-min meal breaks,
Vermont — paid or unpaid, reasonable amount of time, and
Washington — paid, 30-min meal breaks.

Use Clockify to track employee breaks

Giving breaks to your employees is a great way to boost their productivity and morale. However, if you decide to do so, you should track those breaks accordingly to avoid procrastination.

Clockify’s built-in kiosk feature helps you track employee breaks by allowing employees to clock in and out of work or start a break.

All time entries are automatically saved and can later be used to calculate payroll and track work hours.

Every employee gets a unique PIN code they can use to easily clock in/out, start a break, or switch between projects.

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Conclusion/Disclaimer

Our comprehensive guide will help you get familiar with all the relevant information about break laws in the United States. You can get more data on break laws by following the official links we provided.

Please bear in mind that this break laws guide was checked and updated in Q1 of 2025. Thus, it may not include changes introduced after it was published.

We strongly advise you to consult the appropriate institutions and/or certified representatives before acting on any legal matters.

Clockify is not responsible for any losses or risks incurred should this guide be used without legal guidance.

Break Laws by State in the US — Comprehensive Guide (2025)