Alabama 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 | 14–15: 30 min if over 5 h; max 5 h straight · 16–17: same as adults |
| Lactation | Federal PUMP Act only |
| Enforcing agency | Alabama Department of Labor (Child Labor Division) |
Alabama 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.
Alabama · Adult (18+) · 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
On site 10 h · hours worked 10 h
No meal or rest break is required by Alabama 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 Alabama break law page for citations.
Alabama meal break law
No state law requires meal periods for employees 16 and older; federal FLSA applies (no meal break required; bona fide meal periods of 30+ minutes with the employee completely relieved of duty may be unpaid, 29 CFR 785.19).
Source: official guidance
Alabama rest break law
No state rest-break requirement for adults. Federal rule: if short breaks (about 5-20 minutes) are given, they must be paid (29 CFR 785.18).
Breaks for minors in Alabama
A documented 30-minute break is required for any 14- or 15-year-old employed for more than 5 hours continuously. Alabama DOL: 'No breaks are required for employees 16 and older.' Employers must keep time records showing hours worked each day, start and end times, and break times for minors.
Source: Ala. Code §25-8-38 (Alabama Child Labor Act, §§25-8-32 to -63)
Lactation breaks in Alabama
No state workplace lactation-break law found; federal PUMP Act applies.
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)
Frequently asked questions
Are breaks required by law in Alabama?
No adult break law. Minors 14–15: a documented 30-minute break after more than 5 continuous 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 Alabama?
None for adults — Alabama 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 Alabama?
A documented 30-minute break is required for any 14- or 15-year-old employed for more than 5 hours continuously. Alabama DOL: 'No breaks are required for employees 16 and older.' Employers must keep time records showing hours worked each day, start and end times, and break times for minors.
Are lactation breaks required in Alabama?
Alabama 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 Alabama sources
Figures checked against these sources on 2026-10-07Compare
Also “Minors only”: Alaska, 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 Alabama Department of Labor (Child Labor Division).