Does the Fair Labor Standards Act require that employees be given breaks?
No, your supervisor may grant breaks, but at the convenience of the work. If your supervisor grants breaks, they should not exceed 15 minutes at any one time, be limited to two per day, and should be near the middle of the first and/or second half of the workday. Can my secretary skip her two breaks and leave 30 minutes early? No, breaks are paid time. Thus, if she leaves 30 minutes early, then she only worked 7.5 hours that day. Can my secretary add her break times to her 30 minute lunch and take an hour for lunch? No, again, breaks are paid time. If the employee adds the break times to lunch then that person only worked 7.5 hours that day. Can a non-exempt employee skip lunch and leave 30 minutes early? No, the Fair Labor Standards Act requires that a meal period must be provided if the employee is scheduled to work 8 hours or more per day. Can my secretary take work home to catch up? If the supervisor allows this, then the employee is on the clock for the time she works at home. Her
