Employees who work more than 5 hours in a day must be provided with a 30-minute uninterrupted meal break, unless the employee works for fewer than 6 hours in the day and has waived the meal period.

If an employee works more than 10 hours in a day, they must be provided a second 30-minute meal period.

Meal periods must be provided no later than the end of the employee’s fifth hour of work.

Employees are entitled to a 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked.

Rest breaks should be provided in the middle of each work period as much as possible.

Rest breaks should be paid and are considered time worked.

Employers must provide a reasonable opportunity for employees to take their meal and rest breaks.

Employers must relieve employees of all duties and relinquish control over their activities during meal breaks.

Employers must pay an additional hour of pay for each day that an employee’s meal break is not provided or is interrupted, as well as for each day that a rest break is not provided or is interrupted. Showing that the employer has a history of paying meal period premiums is helpful evidence in defending meal period violation claims.