Iowa Meal and Rest Break Laws

Employees often assume that the law guarantees them time for lunch or short breaks during the workday.

However, both federal law and Iowa state law take a very limited approach when it comes to requiring breaks.

Federal Rules on Meal and Rest Breaks

The main federal law governing wages and hours is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA does not require employers to provide meal breaks or rest periods. Instead, it focuses on ensuring employees are paid correctly for the time they do work.

Rest Breaks

If an employer allows short breaks during the day, typically lasting between five and 20 minutes, those breaks count as part of the workday. Employees must be paid for that time. For example, if you take a 15-minute coffee break, that time is considered work time.

Meal Breaks

Meal breaks are treated differently. Employers do not have to pay for a meal break if it is a bona fide break, meaning the employee is fully relieved of all job duties for the purpose of eating.

Ordinarily, this means the break lasts at least 30 minutes. An employee doesn't have to be allowed to leave the workplace, but they cannot be required to perform any duties during the meal period. If you are interrupted to answer phones, serve customers, or handle other tasks, the break must be counted as paid work time.

The bottom line is that federal law doesn't require employers to provide breaks. But if they do, certain breaks must be compensated.

Iowa State Law on Breaks

Unlike some states that require employers to provide meal or rest breaks, Iowa law doesn't require private sector employers to give these breaks to adult workers.

Employers in Iowa must only follow the federal rules described above. This means:

• Employers are not required to provide meal or rest breaks.
• If an employer offers short breaks of less than 20 minutes, they must be paid.
• If an employer offers a longer, unpaid meal break, it must be at least 30 minutes and free of all duties.

There are some exceptions for minors. For example, Iowa law requires meal breaks for workers under 16 years old if they work a certain number of hours. But for most adult employees, Iowa law doesn't go beyond federal requirements.

Why Many Employers Provide Breaks Anyway

Even though the law doesn't require breaks in Iowa, many employers choose to provide them. Breaks can improve employee morale and productivity. A workforce that is rested and not distracted by hunger is generally more effective. For this reason, breaks are often built into workplace policies, even if not legally mandated.

Next Steps

If you believe your employer has violated your rights regarding breaks, it is important to understand the limits of both federal and Iowa law. Because the rules can be complex, especially if you have been asked to work during a supposed meal break, you may benefit from speaking with an experienced employment lawyer.

A lawyer can help you determine whether your employer's practices comply with the law and what options you might have if they don't.