Break Laws in Texas

Surprising as it may be, Texas has no laws on the books mandating that employers give their workers lunch breaks, or any other form of breaks, for that matter. However, there are federal laws which are applicable to employees in Texas.

Contrary to what many people believe, there is no federal law which guarantees workers a lunch break. In fact, most of the federal laws governing breaks are actually about how an employer must treat such breaks in regards to pay, should they be offered.

Breaks of 20 minutes or less must not be deducted from the employee's pay. However, longer lunch breaks, which are 30 minutes or longer, are to be deducted from a worker's pay, and the worker must not be required to continue performing any work duties, even if it is as simple as answering phone calls. If the worker is required to continue performing his or her work duties, the lunch break must be paid.

Because these laws are on a federal level, violating them becomes a federal offense, and can be serious. If you have been denied basic labor rights, your employer could be in serious legal trouble.

While breaks are not mandated by federal or state law in Texas, studies have shown that breaks are beneficial to worker productivity, and frequent short breaks can help prevent worker fatigue and the serious accidents which can occur as a result.

Contact Us

If you or someone close to you has had their rights as a worker violated, contact the Houston employment attorneys of the Ross Law Group by calling 713-482-6910.