Employees across the state of New Jersey are protected by a host of different laws and regulations. Many employees don’t realize that employers aren’t technically required by law to provide their employees with breaks while on the job. Today, we will take a look at the break requirements set forth by the state of New Jersey for employers.
Under the labor laws of the state of New Jersey, breaks are required for employees who are under the age of 18. These employees must be given a 30-minute break after working for five consecutive hours.
For employees who are 18 or older, the law in New Jersey does not require companies to provide them with breaks. This also goes for lunch breaks, not just brief breaks throughout the day. Any break provided by an employer that is longer than 20 minutes does not have to pay for the break. This holds true if the employee is allowed to leave the premises to eat or is not expected to perform any work while on his or her break.
Under federal law, any breaks taken by an employee that last for less than 20 minutes must be paid by the employer. This is the case even if the employee stops working and goes to the lunchroom to eat a meal.
There are all kinds of wage and hour laws on the books in New Jersey that protect employees of all ages and experience levels. Make sure you know the laws regarding breaks while on the job prior to filing a claim so that you have a strong case.
