Georgia 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 | Paid breaks at the regular rate |
| Enforcing agency | Georgia Department of Labor |
Georgia 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.
Georgia · Adult (18+) · 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
On site 10 h · hours worked 10 h
No meal or rest break is required by Georgia 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 Georgia break law page for citations.
Georgia 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
Georgia 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 Georgia
No minor-specific meal or rest break rule found in Georgia law; Georgia is not listed in the DOL footnote of states with minors' meal provisions.
Lactation breaks in Georgia
Private employers with one or more employees must provide break time of a reasonable duration to an employee who desires to express breast milk at the worksite during work hours. The break time 'shall be paid at the employee's regular rate of compensation'; salaried employees may not be required to use paid leave or have salary reduced for these breaks. No paid break is required on a day the employee is working away from the employer's worksites. The employer must provide a private location, other than a restroom, at the worksite. No time limit after birth is stated. An employer with fewer than 50 employees is not subject to any requirement that would impose an undue hardship (significant difficulty or expense relative to size, financial resources, nature, or structure). State and political-subdivision employees are covered separately by O.C.G.A. §45-1-7.
Pay: PAID at the employee's regular rate of compensation (reasonable duration).
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: O.C.G.A. §34-1-6 (as amended by HB 1090, Ga. L. 2020, p. 818)
Frequently asked questions
Are breaks required by law in Georgia?
No meal or rest break law. Paid 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 Georgia?
None for adults — Georgia 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 Georgia?
No minor-specific meal or rest break rule found in Georgia law; Georgia is not listed in the DOL footnote of states with minors' meal provisions.
Are lactation breaks required in Georgia?
Private employers with one or more employees must provide break time of a reasonable duration to an employee who desires to express breast milk at the worksite during work hours. The break time 'shall be paid at the employee's regular rate of compensation'; salaried employees may not be required to use paid leave or have salary reduced for these breaks. No paid break is required on a day the employee is working away from the employer's worksites. The employer must provide a private location, other than a restroom, at the worksite. No time limit after birth is stated. An employer with fewer than 50 employees is not subject to any requirement that would impose an undue hardship (significant difficulty or expense relative to size, financial resources, nature, or structure). State and political-subdivision employees are covered separately by O.C.G.A. §45-1-7. The federal PUMP Act also applies: reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space for one year after birth.
Official Georgia sources
Figures checked against these sources on 2026-10-07Compare
Also “No break law”: Arizona, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming
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Helpful guides
General information, not legal advice. Industry rules, union contracts and agency exemptions can change these requirements. Confirm with Georgia Department of Labor.