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Minnesota’s new meal and rest break law in effect

The BluePrint

• Minnesota law now mandates paid 15-minute rest breaks every four hours worked.
• Employees are entitled to at least a 30-minute meal break for shifts of six hours or more.
• Employers may face double-damage liability for failing to provide required breaks.
• The new rules bring Minnesota in line with other employee-friendly states.

Changes to state employment laws that took effect on Jan. 1 mean that employers are going to have to be on their toes on a number of fronts, including meal and rest breaks for their workers.

Last June, Gov. Tim Walz approved omnibus legislation (SF 17) that revised the state’s workplace break requirements — the first change of substance to those laws in four decades.

The changes mandate that employers provide compensated rest breaks of no less than 15 minutes during each four-hour work period — or sufficient time for restroom access if that takes longer. Before, employers needed only to allow adequate time for restroom use every four hours.

Employers also must allow meal breaks of at least 30 minutes to employees whose shifts cover six hours or more. Previously, that law applied only after eight hours of work and didn’t mandate a specific duration — only that employers give employees sufficient time to eat.

The revised standard lowers the shift threshold and establishes a firm 30-minute minimum. During a meal break, the employee must be completely relieved...

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