Washington employee breaks

The meal period is counted as worktime if the employee is required to remain on duty on premises or at a prescribed worksite. Washington's regulations exclude newspaper vendors or carriers, sheltered workshops, domestic or casual labor in a private residence, and agricultural labor. In Washington State, although agricultural labor is excluded from the general meal period requirement, a separate regulation requires a minute meal period after 5 hours in agriculture and an additional 30 minutes for employees working 11 or more hours in a day.

Meal period rules for construction trade employees may be superseded by a collective bargaining agreement covering such employees if the terms of the agreemens specifically require meal periods and prescribe requirements concerning them. The Washington Director of Labor and Industries may grant a variance to these requirements for good cause, upon employer application. In addition to a general regulation requiring meal periods for employees, Washington has special regulations that require meal periods for minors under age Learn more about Washington's child labor regulations here.

According to Washington labor laws breaks, the employer may require workers to stay on the workplace or site during the following times:. Is an Organization or Business provide rooms where employees can take rest periods or eat meals?

No, WA labor laws breaks do not require labor organizations to provide said rooms for meals or breaks. Washington labor law regarding breaks states that a meal is required for workers if an employee completes a 5 hour shift; if a 5-hour shift is completed, the worker must be given at least a minute meal period. The worker—according to Washington Labor Laws Breaks—must be at least two hours into the shift before the meal period can start.

The meal period cannot start more than five hours once the shift starts. According to Washington labor laws breaks, a business is not mandated to pay for meal periods if the worker is free from any duties for the duration of the meal period. Sign in. Employees must be allowed a meal period when they work more than five hours in a shift. A meal period must be at least 30 minutes long and start between the second and fifth hour of the shift.

Depending on the length of the shift and the timing of the meal period provided, employees may also be entitled to additional meal periods. See WAC 2 and 3. Employees who are required to work or remain on duty during a meal break are still entitled to 30 total minutes of mealtime, excluding interruptions. The entire meal period must be paid regardless of the number of interruptions. Employers are not required to pay for a meal break if an employee is free from all duties for their entire break.

Employees can only be required to remain on the premises or work site during their meal period if they are completely free from work duties. Employees working more than 3 hours beyond their scheduled shift are entitled to additional meal periods. Additional minute meal periods must be given within five hours from the end of the first meal period and for each additional five hours worked.

For most employees, there are no state requirements regulating how and when they are scheduled.