What does the Meal and rest break index cover?
Compare adult meal period, rest break, waiver, timing, and record requirements across state workforce policies.
United States directory
Meal and Rest Break Laws by State
Compare adult meal period, rest break, waiver, timing, and record requirements across state workforce policies.
Directory reviewed
78 policy guides51 state and district jurisdictions78 city or special rules
Directory
Choose a state, city, or policy
Start with the statewide guide, then check every city or special rule listed for the work location.
78 matching guides in 51 jurisdictions
State and local coverage
AL
Alabama
1 guide
AK
Alaska
1 guide
AZ
Arizona
1 guide
AR
Arkansas
1 guide
CA
California
4 guides
CO
Colorado
3 guides
CT
Connecticut
2 guides
DE
Delaware
1 guide
DC
District Of Columbia
1 guide
FL
Florida
1 guide
GA
Georgia
1 guide
HI
Hawaii
2 guides
ID
Idaho
1 guide
IL
Illinois
3 guides
IN
Indiana
1 guide
IA
Iowa
1 guide
KS
Kansas
2 guides
KY
Kentucky
2 guides
LA
Louisiana
1 guide
ME
Maine
2 guides
MD
Maryland
1 guide
MA
Massachusetts
2 guides
MI
Michigan
1 guide
MN
Minnesota
2 guides
MS
Mississippi
2 guides
MO
Missouri
1 guide
MT
Montana
1 guide
NE
Nebraska
1 guide
NV
Nevada
2 guides
NH
New Hampshire
2 guides
NJ
New Jersey
1 guide
NM
New Mexico
1 guide
NY
New York
4 guides
NC
North Carolina
1 guide
ND
North Dakota
2 guides
OH
Ohio
1 guide
OK
Oklahoma
1 guide
OR
Oregon
3 guides
PA
Pennsylvania
1 guide
RI
Rhode Island
1 guide
SC
South Carolina
1 guide
SD
South Dakota
1 guide
TN
Tennessee
2 guides
TX
Texas
2 guides
UT
Utah
1 guide
VT
Vermont
1 guide
VA
Virginia
1 guide
WA
Washington
3 guides
WV
West Virginia
1 guide
WI
Wisconsin
1 guide
WY
Wyoming
1 guide
What the rule means
The short answer
Federal law does not generally require meal or rest breaks for adult workers, but states can impose timing, duration, waiver, premium, and record requirements. Rules for minors can be different.
Compare these fields
- Shift length that triggers a break
- Required timing and duration
- Paid or unpaid treatment
- Waiver, premium, and record rules
Operations checklist
Put the rule into practice
- 01Apply the rule to the worker, location, and shift length.
- 02Plan coverage before the break window opens.
- 03Capture the actual break and any approved exception.
- 04Send missed or late breaks for review before payroll closes.
Official sources
Confirm before acting
Rules and effective dates change. Check the responsible agency or counsel before making an employment decision.
Common questions
Using this directory
How do I know which Meal and rest break rules apply?
Start with the place where the employee performs work. Review the statewide rule and any city, county, industry, employer size, or worker classification rule listed for that location.
When was this directory updated?
This directory was reviewed on September 4, 2026. Individual policy rows also show the stored update date for that record.
Related directoriesMinimum wage indexFinal paycheck indexPay transparency indexScheduling law indexTipped wage index
This resource is provided for product education and operational planning only. It is not legal advice and should be reviewed with counsel before relying on it for employment decisions.
