Minnesota Break Laws (2026)

Effective Jan. 1, 2026: 'An employer must allow each employee who is working for six or more consecutive hours a meal break of at least 30 minutes.' (Before 2026: 'sufficient time to eat a meal' for employees working eight or more consecutive hours.)

Who's covered

All employees of employers covered by the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act; collective bargaining agreements may establish different meal periods.

Paid or unpaid

Not required to be paid ('nothing in this section requires the employer to pay the employee during the meal break'), subject to federal/state hours-worked rules (employee must be relieved of duty; breaks under 20 minutes count as hours worked under Minn. R. 5200.0120).

Waivers

Different meal periods may be established by a collective bargaining agreement.

Exemptions

CBA alternative.

Source: Minn. Stat. §177.254 (as amended by Laws 2025, 1st Spec. Sess., ch. 6, art. 5, §§3-5)

Effective Jan. 1, 2026: 'An employer must allow each employee a rest break of at least 15 minutes or enough time to utilize the nearest convenient restroom, whichever is longer, within each four consecutive hours of work.' (Before 2026: 'adequate time' within each four consecutive hours to use the nearest convenient restroom.) CBAs may set different rest breaks.

Pay: Paid. Minnesota DLI describes it as 'a paid rest break'; rest periods of less than 20 minutes are counted as hours worked (Minn. R. 5200.0120).

Source: Minn. Stat. §177.253 (as amended by Laws 2025, 1st Spec. Sess., ch. 6, art. 5, §§1-2)

No minor-specific meal or rest break rule found; the general §§177.253-177.254 rules apply to minors.

Source: Minn. Stat. §§177.253-177.254 (general)

Applies to all employers with one or more employees, including the state and political subdivisions. Employers must provide reasonable break times each day to an employee who needs to express milk; breaks may run concurrently with existing breaks, and 'an employer shall not reduce an employee's compensation for time used for the purpose of expressing milk' (i.e., paid). No time limit after birth and no undue-hardship exemption for break time. Employer must make reasonable efforts to provide a clean, private, and secure room or other location in close proximity to the work area, other than a bathroom or toilet stall, shielded from view, free from intrusion, with access to an electrical outlet. No retaliation. Employers must notify employees of these rights at hire and in any employee handbook.

Pay: PAID in effect: employer may not reduce compensation for time used to express milk.

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: Minn. Stat. §181.939, subd. 1 and 3 (as amended by Laws 2023, ch. 53, art. 11, §27)

If an employer does not allow required rest or meal breaks, it is liable to the employee for the break time that should have been allowed at the employee's regular rate of pay, plus an equal amount as liquidated damages (Minn. Stat. §§177.253 subd. 3, 177.254 subd. 4, added 2025).

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