Is an employer required to give employees rest breaks and meal breaks?
The FLSA does not require an employer to provide breaks to employees. If a break is 20 minutes long or longer and the employee is completely relieved of duties, it is not counted as time worked even if the employee is required to remain on school premises. The employee must then make up the time during that week in order to work a full 40 hours. The only time meal periods don’t count as hours worked is if they are: at least 30 minutes long, the employee is completely relieved of all duties, and the employee is not required to remain at the duty post. What if my employer is not complying with the FLSA? TCTA members with questions about the Fair Labor Standards Act may call TCTA staff attorneys at (888) 879-8282. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Labor/Wage and Hour Division is charged with enforcing the FLSA and may be reached at (210) 308-4515. The department maintains a Web site. Matters in which wages are owed an employee are handled by the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights
