Louisiana 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 | Accommodation law (25+ employees) |
| Enforcing agency | Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC), Office of Workforce Development - Labor Programs |
Heads up: Since 2024 (Act 603), Louisiana's minor meal rule covers only minors under 16, not all minors under 18.
Louisiana 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.
Louisiana · Adult (18+) · 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
On site 10 h · hours worked 10 h
No meal or rest break is required by Louisiana 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 Louisiana break law page for citations.
Louisiana 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
Louisiana 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 Louisiana
'No minor under sixteen years of age shall be employed, permitted, or suffered to work for any five-hour period without one interval of at least thirty minutes within such period for meals.' If the work period before the interval exceeds 5 hours by 10 minutes or less, it is de minimis (not a violation). The interval is not counted as working hours. The interval must be 30 minutes, but a break of at least 20 minutes is treated as de minimis compliance. The break must be documented in the employer's normal timekeeping system; time edits must be acknowledged in writing by the minor and the manager.
Lactation breaks in Louisiana
No stand-alone private-employer pumping-break law. Employers with more than 25 employees in Louisiana must make reasonable accommodations for an employee's known limitations arising from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions unless it would impose an undue hardship, and must give written notice of these rights (La. R.S. 23:341-342, as amended by Acts 2021, No. 393). Separate law requires public schools to give employees reasonable break time and a private room other than a restroom to express milk.
Pay: Not specified.
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.
Penalties for missed breaks in Louisiana
Child labor violations: civil penalty not to exceed $500 for each violation, each day a separate offense (R.S. 23:241, per the Louisiana Workforce Commission minor labor law poster revised June 2024).
Under federal law, a “meal” break during which the employee keeps working is paid time — and can create unpaid overtime. Check the Louisiana overtime rules.
Recent changes
- Aug 1, 2024Acts 2024, No. 603 narrowed the minor meal-break rule in R.S. 23:213 from minors under 18 to minors under 16, and added de minimis tolerances (up to 10 minutes past 5 hours; breaks of at least 20 minutes) and timekeeping documentation rules. Effective date per Louisiana's default Aug. 1 date.
Frequently asked questions
Are breaks required by law in Louisiana?
No adult break law. Minors under 16: a 30-minute meal in each 5-hour period. 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 Louisiana?
None for adults — Louisiana 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 Louisiana?
'No minor under sixteen years of age shall be employed, permitted, or suffered to work for any five-hour period without one interval of at least thirty minutes within such period for meals.' If the work period before the interval exceeds 5 hours by 10 minutes or less, it is de minimis (not a violation). The interval is not counted as working hours. The interval must be 30 minutes, but a break of at least 20 minutes is treated as de minimis compliance. The break must be documented in the employer's normal timekeeping system; time edits must be acknowledged in writing by the minor and the manager.
Are lactation breaks required in Louisiana?
No stand-alone private-employer pumping-break law. Employers with more than 25 employees in Louisiana must make reasonable accommodations for an employee's known limitations arising from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions unless it would impose an undue hardship, and must give written notice of these rights (La. R.S. 23:341-342, as amended by Acts 2021, No. 393). Separate law requires public schools to give employees reasonable break time and a private room other than a restroom to express milk. The federal PUMP Act also applies: reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space for one year after birth.
Official Louisiana sources
Figures checked against these sources on 2026-10-07Compare
Also “Minors only”: Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin
← Kentucky · All states table · Maine → · Louisiana 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 Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC), Office of Workforce Development - Labor Programs.