legal lunch and rest breaks in the work place.

[dewey]

I work in the state of Pennsylvanis in a small family owned craft business. I work about 36 hours a week. Nine hours per day for four days. What are my legal rights on lunch periods and breaks? If I take a half hour paid lunch break, am I also allowed to take rest breaks. My boss has informed new employees there are no breaks allowed, only 15 minutes paid lunch time. Is this legal? He wants us to sit and work 7 to 9 hours per day with only a 15 minute paid lunch break. Please advise.

 

[hannah jo]

Your employer should have posted, in a place accessible to all employees, the state and federal wage and hour laws that apply to your type of employment. If they are not there, I urge you to contact your state's department of labor and the US department if labor and ask for a copy. They explain in simple, understandable language, the basic laws applicable to employment lunch and rest breaks.

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Please note that these comments do not constitute legal advice. It is always recommended that you consult with a local attorney, who can explore all the facts and issues of your specific situation and then advise you of any legal rights and remedies you may have under the current laws of your jurisdiction.

 

[D. D. Lessenberry]

If you click back further, you'll find a response to TALLBLONDEGAL about smoking which contains some guidelines about lunch breaks and breaks in general. Her post was about smoking during break.

Guess what? I've just been told by my boss that 9 of us are not allowed to sit, while the other approx. 200 are

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I *don't* have an attitude, even if my writing makes me look like I do