Hard-working employees like you deserve to have the best working conditions available, with time to rest during a long day. But do you know what Missouri law officially says about taking breaks while on the job?
Many people assume that small breaks are given to everyone who works. In reality, however, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations states that Missouri law doesn’t require a break of any kind to be given to employees. This includes lunch breaks and applies to workers of all ages, including youth workers under the age of 16.
The one exemption is the entertainment industry. Workers in this field who are under the age of 16 require a 30-minute meal break after five and a half hours of work. 15 minutes of rest time, which is counted as working time, must also be taken every 2 hours.
Other fields do not follow the same guidelines. Because of this, the breaks that you get are entirely up to your employer to decide. This makes it crucial to carefully read all contracts before accepting any position in order to determine if their break policies are fair to you. In some instances, it may even be possible to negotiate for better breaks.
If an employer has given you a certain amount of break time and they are not following through on what’s written in your contract, then it may be time to take legal action. Contacting a legal professional to see what your next options are could be a good next step.
