State
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Meals and Breaks Law Summary
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Indiana
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Indiana employers must provide either one or two rest periods totaling 30
minutes to employees under the age of 18 if scheduled to work six or more
consecutive hours. Indiana Code 20-33-3-30.
Indiana does not have any laws requiring an employer to provide a meal
period or breaks to employees 18 years of age or older, thus the federal rule
applies. The federal rule does not require an employer to provide either a
meal (lunch) period or breaks. However, if an employer chooses to do so,
breaks, usually of the type lasting less than 20 minutes, must be paid. Meal or
lunch periods (usually 30 minutes or more) do not need to be paid, so long as
the employee is free to do as they wish during the meal or lunch period.
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Iowa
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Iowa employers must grant a meal period of at least 30 minutes to employees
under the age of 16 scheduled to work five or more consecutive hours.
Iowa Code 92.7
Iowa does not have any laws requiring an employer to provide a meal period or
breaks to employees 16 years of age or older, thus the federal rule applies.
The federal rule does not require an employer to provide either a meal (lunch)
period or breaks. However, if an employer chooses to do so, breaks, usually
of the type lasting less than 20 minutes, must be paid. Meal or lunch periods
(usually 30 minutes or more) do not need to be paid, so long as the employee
is free to do as they wish during the meal or lunch period.
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Kansas
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Kansas does not have any laws requiring an employer to provide a meal
period or breaks to employees, thus the federal rule applies. The federal rule
does not require an employer to provide either a meal (lunch) period or breaks.
However, if an employer chooses to do so, breaks, usually of the type lasting
less than 20 minutes, must be paid. Meal or lunch periods (usually 30
minutes or more) do not need to be paid, so long as the employee is free to do
as they wish during the meal or lunch period.
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Kentucky
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Kentucky employers must provide employees with a rest period of at least 10
minutes during each four hours of work. The rest period is a paid break.
Employers must provide a reasonable period for a meal no sooner than the
third nor later than the fifth hour of a work shift unless it has mutually agreed
with the employee to some other arrangement. (“Reasonable” is not defined
by law.) A meal period does not have to be paid so long as the employee is
relieved of all duties during the break. 803 KAR 1:065, Section 4
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Louisiana
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Louisiana employers must provide a meal period to employees under the age
of 18 years who are scheduled to work 5 consecutive hours. The meal period
does not need to be paid. LRS 23: 213
Louisiana does not have any laws requiring an employer to provide a meal
period or breaks to employees 18 years of age or older, thus the federal rule
applies. The federal rule does not require an employer to provide either a
meal (lunch) period or breaks. However, if an employer chooses to do so,
breaks, usually of the type lasting less than 20 minutes, must be paid. Meal or
lunch periods (usually 30 minutes or more) do not need to be paid, so long as
the employee is free to do as they wish during the meal or lunch period.
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Maine
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Maine employers must give employees the opportunity to take an unpaid rest
break of 30 consecutive minutes after 6 hours worked if 3 or more people are
on duty. An employee and employer may negotiate for more or less breaks,
but both must agree (this should be put in writing). According to federal law, if
an employer grants a non-meal rest break (usually 20 minutes or fewer), the
break must be paid. 26 MRS 7.601
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Maryland
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Maryland employers must provide employees under the age of 18 with a 30
minute break for every 5 consecutive hours of work.
MGA §3–210 of the Labor and Employment Article
Maryland does not require employers to provide breaks, including lunch
breaks, for workers 18 years old or older. An employer who chooses to
provide a break in excess of 20 minutes does not have to pay wages for lunch
periods or other breaks if the employee is free to leave the worksite, in fact
takes their lunch or break, and the employee does not actually perform work.
According to federal law, breaks 20 minutes or shorter typically must be paid.
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Massachusetts
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Massachusetts employers must provide a 30-minute break after six hours of
working. The break period may be unpaid if the employees are free to leave
the workplace during the break. An employee can voluntarily give up the meal
break, but must be paid for all hours worked. Compensation for the 30-minute
meal break must be paid if the employee has voluntarily agreed to waive his or
her meal break by (1) working through his or her meal break, or (2) remaining
on the premises at the request of the employer during the meal break.
Employers in certain manufacturing industries may be exempted from this
requirement. M.G.L. c. 149, s. 101
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Michigan
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Michigan employers must provide employees under 18 years of age with a 30
minute uninterrupted rest period if scheduled to work more than 5 continuous
hours. MCL 409.112
Michigan does not require employers to provide breaks, including lunch
breaks, for workers 18 years old or older. An employer who chooses to
provide a break in excess of 20 minutes does not have to pay wages for lunch
periods or other breaks if the employee is free to leave the worksite, in fact
takes their lunch or break, and the employee does not actually perform work.
According to federal law, breaks 20 minutes or shorter typically must be paid.
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Minnesota
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Minnesota employers must provide restroom time and sufficient time to eat a
meal. The meal time requirement applies to employees who work 8 or more
consecutive hours. If the break is less than 20 minutes in duration, it must be
paid. Time to use the nearest restroom must be provided within each four
consecutive hours of work. Minnesota Statutes 177.253 and 177.254.
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Mississippi
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Mississippi does not have any laws requiring an employer to provide a meal
period or breaks to employees, thus the federal rule applies. The federal rule
does not require an employer to provide either a meal (lunch) period or breaks.
However, if an employer chooses to do so, breaks, usually of the type lasting
less than 20 minutes, must be paid. Meal or lunch periods (usually 30
minutes or more) do not need to be paid, so long as the employee is free to do
as they wish during the meal or lunch period.
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Missouri
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Missouri does not have any laws requiring an employer to provide a meal
period or breaks to employees, thus the federal rule applies. The federal rule
does not require an employer to provide either a meal (lunch) period or breaks.
However, if an employer chooses to do so, breaks, usually of the type lasting
less than 20 minutes, must be paid. Meal or lunch periods (usually 30
minutes or more) do not need to be paid, so long as the employee is free to do
as they wish during the meal or lunch period.
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