However, this does not mean employees are not allowed to take a lunch break.
It is up to each Florida employer to create a policy for providing breaks for its employees. But when it comes to minors, legally described as those 17 years old and below, employers are obliged to give them breaks:
- A 30-minute lunch break (off the clock) after a four-hour shift
- Two 15-minute breaks (on the clock) during an eight-hour shift
So, how many hours can an employee work without a break in Florida? Adult employees are allowed to take a 30 or 60-minute lunch break, just not on the clock. When the lunch policy is in place, the employer is not allowed to require employees to work on their lunch break. But if companies require employees to have a working lunch, they must pay them for it. It’s best for employers to separate work and breaks to prevent confusion.
Breaks that are less than 20 minutes are paid. They are usually part of the work day, and employees can use this for coffee breaks and even smoking breaks. Any break that goes more than 20 minutes will be unpaid.
Nursing or breast-pumping mothers are allowed reasonable breaks, according to national laws. Mothers with newborns may take breaks to nurse their babies if allowed in the office. Either that or the mother can take a break to pump breast milk.
The American Disabilities Act also requires employers to provide essential breaks to employees who need medical accommodations. They can take five-minute breaks every hour instead of the two 15-minute breaks.
Since most of these are company policies due to the lack of mandate, employees must learn company guidelines to prevent getting deductions for taking unpaid breaks.
