Connecticut Break Laws (2026)

No person shall be required to work for 'seven and one-half or more consecutive hours' without a period of at least 30 consecutive minutes for a meal. The meal period must be given 'at some time after the first two hours of work and before the last two hours.'

Who's covered

All employers and employees ('No person shall be required to work...'), except: certified teachers working directly with children for a local/regional board of education; employers that provide 30+ total minutes of paid rest or meal periods within each 7.5-hour work period; employers exempted by the Labor Commissioner; and CBAs in effect on July 1, 1990.

Paid or unpaid

Statute does not require pay; federal rule applies (unpaid only if bona fide and fully relieved of duty).

Waivers

Employer and employee may enter a written agreement providing a different meal-period schedule (§31-51ii(e)).

Exemptions

Labor Commissioner shall exempt an employer on finding that (1) compliance would be adverse to public safety, (2) the duties of a position may only be performed by one employee, (3) the employer employs fewer than 5 employees on a shift at a single place of business (exemption applies only to that shift), or (4) continuous operations (e.g., chemical production, research experiments) require employees to respond to urgent conditions at all times and they are compensated for break and meal periods. Not applicable to certified teachers working directly with children, or to employers giving 30+ total minutes of paid rest/meal per 7.5-hour period.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §31-51ii

No state rest-break requirement for adult private-sector employees. Federal rule: short breaks (about 5-20 minutes), if given, must be paid (29 CFR 785.18).

No minor-specific meal or rest break rule found; the general §31-51ii meal rule (7.5+ consecutive hours) applies to minors as to adults.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §31-51ii (general)

Applies to all employers with one or more employees, including the state and political subdivisions. Any employee may, at her discretion, express breast milk or breastfeed on site at her workplace during her meal or break period. The employer must make reasonable efforts to provide a room or other location in close proximity to the work area, other than a toilet stall, where the employee can express milk in private; absent undue hardship, it must (1) be free from intrusion and shielded from the public, (2) include or be near a refrigerator or employee-provided portable cold storage device, and (3) include access to an electrical outlet. No discrimination, discipline or adverse action for exercising these rights. 'Undue hardship' = significant difficulty or expense relative to business size, resources, nature and structure. No time limit after birth is stated.

Pay: No separate paid lactation time; employees use their existing meal or break periods (paid or unpaid per employer policy).

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: Conn. Gen. Stat. §31-40w (as amended by P.A. 21-27)

Employers violating §31-51ii may be subject to civil penalties under Conn. Gen. Stat. §31-69a (§31-51ii(g)).

Under federal law, a “meal” break during which the employee keeps working is paid time — and can create unpaid overtime. Check the Connecticut overtime rules.