Are employers required to provide a rest break and/or meal break?
In the state of Washington, employers are required to provide their employees with a rest and/or meal break in certain circumstances. Generally speaking, employers must provide a paid 10-minute rest period for every four hours of work and/or a half-hour unpaid meal break for every five hours of work. These rest breaks and/or meal breaks must be given to employees who are 18 years of age or older. Employers must ensure that their employees are given appropriate opportunity to take these breaks as required by law. This means that employers should not require employees to forgo their breaks or discourage them from taking them. Moreover, employers should provide employees with suitable rest facilities in an appropriate place in order for them to take their rest break. It is important to note that employers are not required to provide a meal break or pay employees for the time they take for this break. However, employers must still provide employees with suitable rest facilities for the meal break. Additionally, employers may not require employees to work during meal breaks and must make sure that no work is done during this time. When it comes to rest and meal breaks, employers in Washington are required to make sure their employees are given the opportunity to take them and must provide them with suitable facilities for doing so. It is very important for employers to comply with Washington’s wage and hour laws in order to avoid any potential legal disputes down the road.
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