Alaska Break Laws (2026)
Last updated: 2026-10-07 · Checked against the statute text and state agency guidance · Minors only
| Adult meal break | Not required |
|---|---|
| Adult rest break | Not required (short breaks you give must be paid) |
| Minors | Under 18: 30 min for 6+ h shifts (after 1.5 h, before last hour), or before continuing past 5 h |
| Lactation | Federal PUMP Act only |
| Enforcing agency | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Wage and Hour Administration |
Alaska break scheduler
Pick a state and enter the shift. You'll get every break the law requires, the latest time each can start, a suggested schedule, and — if you enter the breaks actually taken — a compliance check with California premium pay.
Alaska · Adult (18+) · 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
On site 10 h · hours worked 10 h
No meal or rest break is required by Alaska law for this shift.
Federal law still applies: breaks of about 5–20 minutes you choose to give must be paid, and an unpaid meal must be a real duty-free break (ordinarily 30+ minutes). Different rules apply to minors — switch the employee type.
Scheduling aid, not legal advice. Industry wage orders, union contracts and employer-specific exemptions can change the rules — see the Alaska break law page for citations.
Alaska meal break law
No state law requires meal periods for employees 18 and older. Alaska Wage and Hour FAQ: 'Employers are not required to give breaks for employees 18 and over.' If a meal period is given, the employer need not pay for it if it lasts more than 20 minutes and the employee does no work (state FAQ); federal 29 CFR 785.19 also applies.
Source: official guidance
Alaska rest break law
No state rest-break requirement for employees 18 and older. Alaska Wage and Hour FAQ: if the employer allows breaks lasting less than 20 minutes, the employee must be paid for the break.
Breaks for minors in Alaska
A person under 18 who is scheduled to work 6 consecutive hours or more is entitled to a break of at least 30 minutes during the shift; the break may be scheduled at the employer's convenience but must occur after the first hour and a half of work and before the beginning of the last hour of work. A person under 18 who works 5 consecutive hours without a break is entitled to a break of at least 30 minutes before continuing to work. May be modified by a collective bargaining agreement or 'on occasion by mutual agreement between the employer and the employee.' Does not apply to commercial fishing/aquatic harvesting workers or to minors employed by a family member. The break is unpaid.
Source: Alaska Stat. §23.10.350(c)-(e)
Lactation breaks in Alaska
No state workplace lactation-break law; federal PUMP Act applies. (Alaska's anti-discrimination law, AS 18.80.220, bars sex/pregnancy/parenthood discrimination but has no express pumping-break requirement.)
Federal floor (PUMP Act): reasonable break time and a private space that isn't a bathroom for one year after birth, for nearly all employees; unpaid unless the employee isn't fully relieved of duty. Employers with fewer than 50 employees may be exempt only if compliance would cause undue hardship.
Source: None (29 U.S.C. 218d applies)
Penalties for missed breaks in Alaska
For minors: failure to provide the required unpaid break, or providing it late, creates minimum-wage liability (AS 23.10.065) for the missed/late break, enforceable as a minimum wage claim under AS 23.10.110 (Alaska Stat. §23.10.350(d)).
Under federal law, a “meal” break during which the employee keeps working is paid time — and can create unpaid overtime. Check the Alaska overtime rules.
Frequently asked questions
Are breaks required by law in Alaska?
No adult break law. Minors under 18: a 30-minute unpaid break for shifts of 6+ hours (after the first 1.5 hours) or before continuing past 5 consecutive hours. Federal law requires no breaks, but short breaks that are given must be paid and unpaid meal periods must be duty-free.
How many breaks do you get for an 8-hour shift in Alaska?
None for adults — Alaska has no general meal or rest break law. Under federal law, any short break you give (5–20 minutes) must be paid.
Do minors get breaks in Alaska?
A person under 18 who is scheduled to work 6 consecutive hours or more is entitled to a break of at least 30 minutes during the shift; the break may be scheduled at the employer's convenience but must occur after the first hour and a half of work and before the beginning of the last hour of work. A person under 18 who works 5 consecutive hours without a break is entitled to a break of at least 30 minutes before continuing to work. May be modified by a collective bargaining agreement or 'on occasion by mutual agreement between the employer and the employee.' Does not apply to commercial fishing/aquatic harvesting workers or to minors employed by a family member. The break is unpaid.
Are lactation breaks required in Alaska?
Alaska has no state lactation-break law, so the federal PUMP Act applies: reasonable break time (unpaid unless the employee isn't fully relieved of duty) and a private space that isn't a bathroom, for one year after birth.
Official Alaska sources
Figures checked against these sources on 2026-10-07Compare
Also “Minors only”: Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin
Related Resources on This Site
Helpful guides
General information, not legal advice. Industry rules, union contracts and agency exemptions can change these requirements. Confirm with Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Wage and Hour Administration.