District of Columbia Break Laws (2026)
Last updated: 2026-10-07 · Checked against the statute text and state agency guidance · No break law
| Adult meal break | Not required |
|---|---|
| Adult rest break | Not required (short breaks you give must be paid) |
| Minors | No separate rule — adult rules (if any) apply |
| Lactation | Unpaid breaks + private space |
| Enforcing agency | D.C. Department of Employment Services (DOES), Office of Wage-Hour Compliance; D.C. Office of Human Rights (lactation) |
District of Columbia 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.
District of Columbia · Adult (18+) · 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
On site 10 h · hours worked 10 h
No meal or rest break is required by District of Columbia 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).
Scheduling aid, not legal advice. Industry wage orders, union contracts and employer-specific exemptions can change the rules — see the District of Columbia break law page for citations.
District of Columbia meal break law
No state law requires meal periods for adult private-sector employees; 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
District of Columbia rest break law
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).
Breaks for minors in District of Columbia
No minor-specific meal or rest break rule found. D.C. child labor law limits minors under 18 to 6 consecutive days, 48 hours per week and 8 hours per day (plus night-work limits) but has no break requirement.
Source: D.C. Code §32-202 (hours only)
Lactation breaks in District of Columbia
Employers must provide reasonable daily unpaid break periods, as required by the employee, to express breast milk for her child to maintain milk supply and comfort; breaks run concurrently with any paid or unpaid breaks already provided. Not required if it would create an undue hardship on the employer's operations (no employee-count threshold). Employers must make reasonable efforts to provide a sanitary room or other location in close proximity to the work area, other than a bathroom or toilet stall, where the employee can express milk in privacy and security (may include a nearby childcare facility). No time limit after birth is stated.
Pay: Unpaid (runs concurrently with any existing paid breaks).
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: D.C. Code §2-1402.82(d) (D.C. Human Rights Act; added by D.C. Law 17-58, 2007)
Frequently asked questions
Are breaks required by law in District of Columbia?
No meal or rest break law. Unpaid lactation breaks required. 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 District of Columbia?
None for adults — District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia?
No minor-specific meal or rest break rule found. D.C. child labor law limits minors under 18 to 6 consecutive days, 48 hours per week and 8 hours per day (plus night-work limits) but has no break requirement.
Are lactation breaks required in District of Columbia?
Employers must provide reasonable daily unpaid break periods, as required by the employee, to express breast milk for her child to maintain milk supply and comfort; breaks run concurrently with any paid or unpaid breaks already provided. Not required if it would create an undue hardship on the employer's operations (no employee-count threshold). Employers must make reasonable efforts to provide a sanitary room or other location in close proximity to the work area, other than a bathroom or toilet stall, where the employee can express milk in privacy and security (may include a nearby childcare facility). No time limit after birth is stated. The federal PUMP Act also applies: reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space for one year after birth.
Official District of Columbia sources
Figures checked against these sources on 2026-10-07- Minors — D.C. Code §32-202 (hours only)
- Lactation — D.C. Code §2-1402.82(d) (D.C. Human Rights Act; added by D.C. Law 17-58, 2007)
- D.C. Department of Employment Services (DOES), Office of Wage-Hour Compliance; D.C. Office of Human Rights (lactation)
- U.S. DOL — Breaks and meal periods (FLSA)
- 29 U.S.C. 218d — PUMP Act
Compare
Also “No break law”: Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming
← Delaware · All states table · Florida → · District of Columbia overtime
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Helpful guides
General information, not legal advice. Industry rules, union contracts and agency exemptions can change these requirements. Confirm with D.C. Department of Employment Services (DOES), Office of Wage-Hour Compliance; D.C. Office of Human Rights (lactation).