Human Resource Blog

Taking Breaks

	HR Management
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Is it required that employees must take a break every 8 hour shift even if they don’t want to?

This will depend upon the state, and the emloyer\\\’s policy. Some states such as Oregon and California require that virtually every employee take a break on every shift. Employers who do not grant breaks face heavy fines. In some cases, an employee who does not want to take a break can provide the employer with a written release. In other cases, the employer could still be fined, even if the worker did not want to take a break.

Even in states where there is no break law, employers are well within their rights to set a policy that every employee must take a break. This is a best practice in HR. It is more humane, increases employee morale, increases productivity and saves money on payroll. (If you don\\\\\\\’t believe that breaks are a good idea, you should read our mail. Every week we get messages from employees who are forced to work 10, 12 or 16 hours per day without a break of any sort.)

The bottom line is that employers in any state can require that workers take a break. They can also discipline or terminate any worker who refuses to.