Federal law does not require that employees be given either paid or unpaid rest or meal periods. However, federal regulations do specify when work breaks, including meal periods, rest periods, and sleeping time, must be counted as paid work time subject to federal minimum wage and overtime requirements. Many states require paid and/or unpaid meal and/or rest breaks.
Court: CA Workers Have 3 Years for Missed-Meal-Break Claims
The Supreme Court of California has ruled that three years is the statute of limitations for employees to recover the remedy for an employer's failure to provide mandatory meal breaks or rest breaks in the state.
Wal-Mart Employees Awarded $78M for Unpaid Work
A jury in a Pennsylvania court determined Friday that Wal-Mart should pay workers at least $78.5 million for neglecting to pay its employees for extra hours they worked and for requiring them to work during rest breaks.
