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Breaks: State Laws
Published Jan 26, 2008 in Employment Issues
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A lot of CNA’s ask what their rights are regarding breaks, meals and getting paid for such. Here are two lists of state statutes about breaks. Usually, rest breaks are paid; meal breaks often are NOT unless one works through it.

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Rest Breaks

California

Paid 10-minute rest period for each 4 hours worked or major fraction thereof; as practicable, in middle of each work period. Not required for employees whose total daily work time is less than 3 and ½ hours.

Colorado
Paid 10-minute rest period for each 4-hour work period or major fraction thereof; as practicable, in middle of each work period.

Illinois
Each hotel room attendant — those persons who clean or put guest rooms in order in a hotel or other establishment licensed for transient occupancy — shall receive a minimum of two 15-minute paid rest breaks and one 30-minute meal period in each workday in which they work at least seven hours.

Kentucky
Paid 10-minute rest period for each 4-hour work period

Minnesota
Paid adequate rest period within each 4 consecutive hours of work, to utilize nearest convenient restroom.

Nevada
Paid 10-minute rest period for each 4 hours worked or major fraction thereof; as practicable, in middle of each work period. Not required for employees whose total daily work time is less than 3 and ½ hours.

Oregon
Paid 10-minute rest period for every 4-hour segment or major portion thereof in one work period; as feasible, approximately in middle of each segment of work period.

Washington
Paid 10-minute rest period for each 4-hour work period, scheduled as near as possible to midpoint of each work period. Employee may not be required to work more than 3 hours without a rest period.

States not listed do not require paid rest periods. All of the eight States with paid rest period requirements, also have meal period requirements.

SOURCE

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Meal Breaks

California
½ hour, after 5 hours, except when workday will be completed in 6 hours or less and there is mutual employer/employee consent to waive meal period.

Colorado
½ hour after 5 hours, except when workday will be completed in 6 hours or less. On-duty meal period counted as time worked and permitted when nature of work prevents relief from all duties.

Connecticut
½ hour after first 2 hours and before last 2 hours for employees who work 7½ consecutive hours or more.

Delaware
½ hour, after first 2 hours and before the last 2 hours, for employees who work 7½ consecutive hours or more.

Illinois
Each hotel room attendant — those persons who clean or put guest rooms in order in a hotel or other establishment licensed for transient occupancy — shall receive a minimum of two 15-minute paid rest breaks and one 30-minute meal period in each workday in which they work at least seven hours.

Kentucky
Reasonable off-duty period, ordinarily ½ hour but shorter period permitted under special conditions, between 3rd and 5th hour of work. Not counted as time worked. Coffee breaks and snack time not to be included in meal period.

Maine
½ hour, after 6 consecutive hours, except in cases of emergency and except where nature of work allows employees frequent breaks during workday.


Massachusetts

½ hour, if work is for more than 6 hours.

Minnesota
Sufficient unpaid time for employees who work 8 consecutive hours or more.

Nebraska
½ hour, off premises, between 12 noon and 1 p.m. or at other suitable lunch time.

Nevada
½ hour, if work is for 8 continuous hours.

New Hampshire
½ hour, after 5 consecutive hours, unless feasible for employee to eat while working and is permitted to do so by employer.

New York
1 hour noon-day period
30 minute noonday period for employees who work shifts of more than 6 hours that extend over the noon day meal period.
An additional 20 minutes between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. for those employed on a shift starting before 11 a.m. and continuing after 7 p.m. 1 hour in factories, 45 minutes in other establishments, midway in shift, for those employed more than a 6-hour period starting between 1 p.m. and 6 a.m.

North Dakota
½ hour, if desired, on each shift exceeding 5 hours.

Oregon
½ hour, with relief from all duty, for each work period of 6 to 8 hours, between 2nd and 5th hour for work period of 7 hours or less and between 3rd and 6th hour for work period over 7 hours; or, less than ½ hour but not less than 20 minutes, with pay, with relief from all duty, where employer can show that such a paid meal period is industry practice or custom; or, where employer can show that nature of work prevents relief from all duty, an eating period with pay while on duty for each period of 6 to 8 hours.

Rhode Island
All employees are entitled to a 20 minute mealtime within a six hour work shift, and a 30 minute mealtime within an eight hour work shift.

Tennessee
½ hour for employees scheduled to work 6 consecutive hours or more.

Washington
½ hour, if work period is more than 5 consecutive hours, to be given not less than 2 hours nor more than 5 hours from beginning of shift. Counted as worktime if employee is required to remain on duty on premises or at a prescribed worksite. Additional ½ hour, before or during overtime, for employees working 3 or more hours beyond regular workday.

West Virginia
20 minutes for employees who work 6 consecutive hours or more.

Guam
½ hour, after 5 hours, except when workday will be completed in 6 hours or less and there is mutual employer/employee consent to waive meal period. Not considered time worked unless nature of work prevents relief from duty.

Puerto Rico
1 hour, after end of 3rd but before beginning of 6th consecutive hour worked. Double-time pay required for work during meal hour or fraction thereof.

SOURCE

5 Responses to Breaks: State Laws

Patti
Published 27 January, 2008 in 10:04 am

Let’s not forget to add- that the courts generally go by Facility Policy, written and implied. If it’s policy that staff will get a 1/2 hr. unpaid meal break, the facility cannot abuse this often. AND if staff don’t get that break they must be paid. Many employee lawsuits have been won by staff whose breaks were abused by the management.

Also, if you’re a member of a union all state and fed laws become null and void. Not that unions take away breaks, but they DO often allow the facility to call the shots when it comes to emergencies and other special situations. Short staffing is always considered a special situation. So, union facilities tend to allow skipped breaks more than non union.

Cheryl
Published 27 January, 2008 in 6:12 pm

I like how they break it down to the number of hours worked too. Seems kind of silly that they have to do that; it shows how much people were taken advantage of back in the day I guess.

Thanks Heather for this list- it will come in handy for many an overworked aide I am sure.

Oh and I love the new look here too guys!:mrgreen:

Patti
Published 27 January, 2008 in 7:52 pm

Yes thank you Heather!!

Holly
Published 28 January, 2008 in 7:03 pm

I find it hard to believe in this day and age ALL the states don’t have laws about breaks. I belong to one of the email groups and one aide, an Med Tech, was bragging about the state she lives in being one that doesn’t mandate breaks and how her management has threatened to take them ALL away. She was actually saying she understands why (cause a few aides take more time, or maybe more breaks than allotted or something)- this med tech said she would support management. What a jerk! I really get mad when I hear how the few can spoil it for all- but I get even more mad at management that doesn’t have the CAJEWELS to hold the few accountable. This is why there has to be break laws for each state.
Because management is not capable of managing!

Patti
Published 29 January, 2008 in 10:50 am

Oh I so agree with you Holly…this is typical. Making everyone pay for the mistakes of a few is what cowards do. A good leader has no problem holding individuals accountable for their work, ethics, behavior, attendance ect. Abusing breaks happens- usually by aides who’ve worked for a place for a long time in my experiences as I’ve seen. I’m the kind of person who will speak up to those abusing situations..but I have no power and authority. And just because I SPEAK up doesn’t take away management’s responsibility to do so. This is cowardly leadership…


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