Work Breaks and Wages

Most employers offer breaks to their full-time workers, including lunch breaks and short rest breaks. Federal law does not require employers to offer these breaks, although state laws may vary. However, federal law does regulate how these breaks may be counted towards a worker’s total number of work hours.

If you believe that you have not been fairly compensated for overtime hours, you may have grounds for legal action against your employer. To learn more about your rights, contact the overtime collection attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP at 202-973-0900.

Federal Regulations and Work Breaks

Federal laws recognize two different kinds of breaks: short rest periods known as coffee breaks and longer lunch breaks. Coffee breaks typically last 5 to 20 minutes and most full-time employees are offered one or two of them per workday. These rest periods are considered compensable, meaning that they count towards the total number of hours for which an employee must be compensated. They can also count towards overtime hours.

In contrast, lunch breaks (which typically last half an hour to an hour) are typically not considered compensable. In general, employers do not need to pay their workers for the time they spend on lunch breaks. As such, this time does not count towards overtime hours.

Knowing the distinctions between short coffee breaks and lunch breaks can help you determine how much compensation you are owed from your employer. If you have any questions about your legal rights to fair pay, our overtime collection lawyers can help.

Contact Us

To learn more about your rights as an employee, contact the experienced and knowledgeable overtime collection lawyers of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP at 202-973-0900.