Research Summary: We all have to eat, and anyone who doesn’t work from home knows that feeling of longing for a lunch break at work. Just three hours into a shift and we’re already counting the minutes until our breaks.
Luckily, in most US states, 41 to be exact, there are specific lunch break laws that protect your right to a full-length meal.
With that in mind, we’ve investigated all of the most essential facts about lunch break laws in the US, and according to our extensive research, these are all of the states who’ve opted to implement specific regulations:
| State | Covered Employees | Minimum Lunch Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Employees aged 14-15 who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Alaska | Minors who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Arkansas | Minors in the entertainment industry | 30 to 60 minutes |
| California | Non-exempt employees who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes with an additional 30 minutes after 10 hours |
| Colorado | Employee covered by Colorado’s Minimum Wage Order who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Connecticut | Non-exempt employees who work 7.5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Delaware |
Minors who work 5+ hours
Employees 18+ who work 7.5+ hours |
30 minutes |
| Florida | Non-exempt employees under 18 who work 4+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Hawaii | Employees aged 14-15 who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Illinois |
Employees under 16 who work 5+ hours
Employees who work 7.5+ hours |
20 minutes, or 30 minutes for employees under 16 |
| Indiana | Minors who work 6+ hours | 30 minutes over 1-2 breaks |
| Iowa | Employees under 16 who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Kansas |
All employees
Meal break must be paid if it surpasses 30 minutes |
30 minutes unpaid |
| Kentucky | Minors who work 4+ hours | 30 minutes for minors |
| Louisiana | Non-exempt minors who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes unpaid |
| Maine | Employees who work 6+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Maryland |
Certain retail employees*
Non-exempt minors who work 5+ hours |
30 minutes
4-6 hour shift: 15 minutes* 6+ hour shift: 30 minutes* Every additional 4 hours worked after 8: 15 minutes added* |
| Massachusetts | Non-exempt employees who work 6+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Michigan | Minors who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Minnesota | Employees who work 8+ hours | N/A |
| Missouri | Minors in the entertainment industry | 15 minutes after every 2 hours of work |
| Nebraska | Employees of assembling plants, workshops or mechanical establishments | 30 minutes per 8-hour shift |
| Nevada | Employees who work 8+ hours | 30 minutes |
| New Hampshire | Employees who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| New Jersey | Minors who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| New Mexico | Lunch breaks are not required, but employers who implement them must provide pay if the break is less than 20 minutes | N/A |
| New York |
Employees who work 6+ hours
Every person working before 11 a.m. and continuing later than 7 p.m. receive an additional 20 minute break between 5-7 PM |
30 minutes
60 minutes for factory workers and employees working 6+ hours between 1 PM and 6 AM |
| North Carolina | Employees under 16 who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| North Dakota | Employees who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Ohio | Minors for every 5 hours worked | 30 minutes |
| Oklahoma | Employees under 16 who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Oregon | Employees who work 6+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Pennsylvania | Seasonal farm workers and minors for every 5 hours worked | 30 minutes |
| Rhode Island | Employees who work 6+ hours | 20 minutes for a 6-hour shift or 30 minutes for 8+ hour shift |
| Tennessee | Employees who work 6+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Utah | Minors for every 5 hours worked | 30 minutes |
| Vermont |
All employees
Meal break must be paid if it is less than 30 minutes |
N/A |
| Virginia | Employees under 16 who work 5+ hours | 30 minutes |
| Washington |
Employees aged 14-15 for every 4 hours worked
Employees aged 16-17 for every 5+ hours worked All employees |
Employees under 15: 2 hours
Employees 16-17: 30 minutes All Employees: 30 minutes plus an additional 30 minutes for every 3 hours worked over 8 hours |
| West Virginia | Employees who work 6+ hours | 20 minutes |
| Wisconsin | Minors for every 6+ hours worked | 30 minutes |
States Without Lunch Break Laws
There are only nine states with no lunch break laws, paid or unpaid, as of 2022. These states include:
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Arizona
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Georgia
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Idaho
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Mississippi
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Montana
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South Carolina
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South Dakota
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Texas
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Wyoming
Given that there is no federal law mandating lunch breaks, this means that employees in all of these states are NOT entitled to a lunch break. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that employees won’t offer lunch breaks, just that providing them is at the employer’s discretion.
Even in some states with lunch break laws, such as New Mexico, employers are not required to implement lunch breaks.
Benefits of Lunch Break Laws
Providing lunch breaks might seem like an expense, but these breaks can be highly beneficial for employees and employers. To find out more, here are the top three benefits that come with implementing lunch breaks:
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Increased Productivity. 90% of workers who take lunch breaks are more productive, and 63% say they’re more productive directly after their break. This increase in productivity means that despite a decrease in hours worked; companies can be more productive with lunch breaks.
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Reduced Health Problems. 40% of employees with lunch breaks report reduced stress levels. Reduced stress, fatigue, and symptoms of physical health conditions are clearly great for employees, but it’s also a plus for employers. Improved employee health means fewer sick days and further increases productivity.
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Happy Employees. 94% of employees feel happier when they take a lunch break. This can decrease turnover rates, improve customer service, and foster a positive workplace culture.
Lunch Break Laws FAQ
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What is the federal law on lunch breaks?
There is no federal law on lunch breaks. However, federal law does specify that if an employer does decide to provide a lunch break, the break does not have to be paid. This applies in any state that doesn’t have its own law mandating paid lunch breaks.
Under federal law, a work break must be paid if:
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The employee continues working during their break time
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The break is 20 minutes long or less
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Can employers end your lunch break early?
No, employers cannot end your lunch break early. They cannot interrupt your break with work assignments, and if you feel like you’ve been forced to work during an unpaid lunch break, you can recover payment for the time you spent working.
Overall, your break can only end early if you choose to continue working. This may be at your employer’s request, but it is your decision.
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Can employers require employees to take a break?
Yes and no; in some states, employers can require employees to take a break. In Massachusetts, for example, employers can require employees to take a meal break, and in Washington, employees cannot work more than three hours without a rest break.
In general, though, in most states, employers cannot force an employee to take a break and must simply document when employees choose not to take breaks.
Conclusion
Lunch breaks have become common practice in most states, with 41 of them choosing to implement lunch break laws. Most often, these breaks must be at least 30 minutes long and almost always apply to minors. Of course, this also varies from state to state.
And there’s a reason why lunch breaks are so popular, as these laws improve employee productivity, happiness, work-life balance, health, and more.
Knowing that, it’s important for employers to consider providing lunch breaks, even in states where there is no legal precedent.
Author
Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.
