Meal breaks lasting 30 minutes or longer can be unpaid, so long as employees don't work during that time. Employers are not required to give rest breaks. Employees who work between 6 and 8 hours are entitled to a 20-minute meal break. Employees who work for 8 or more hours are entitled to a 30-minute break.
Working without breaks or vacations can lead to burnout, decreased productivity, and a lack of motivation. Over time, it can also negatively impact mental and physical health, causing stress, fatigue, and reduced focus.
In Florida, employers are not required by state law or federal law to provide their employees with any rest breaks through the workday or during the 8-hour shift. Additionally, meal breaks, for adult employees, are also not mandated ing to the law.
No, not in most places in the United States. Labor law requires that you take a break, and your employer can face heavy fines if you are caught not taking that break.
Florida does not have specific laws mandating minimum shift lengths. Employers are not required to schedule employees for a minimum number of hours, and there are no state-mandated requirements for minimum shift time beyond what may be outlined in individual employment agreements or company policies.
Since the start of the year, Governor Ron DeSantis has signed over 180 bills from the 2024 Legislative Session into law that went into effect on July 1, 2024. Some notable laws include allowing patriotic organizations in schools, HOA fine limits and transparency, and changes in eviction laws.
On September 30, 2024, Florida's minimum wage will increase to $13.00 per hour. Each year thereafter, Florida's minimum wage will increase by $1.00 until the minimum wage reaches $15.00 per hour on September 30, 2026. Resuming in 2027, the minimum wage will be adjusted annually for inflation.
The salary threshold for employees exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act under the executive, administrative, and professional (EAP) exemption will increase from $684 per week ($35,568 annually) to $844 per week ($43,888 annually) effective July 1, 2024, and to $1,128 per week ($58,656 annually) effective Jan.
Florida is an “at-will” employment state, meaning that either you or your employer can terminate your employment at any time and without any advance warning. However, even with your employment being “at-will,” your employer cannot terminate your employment for an illegal reason.
This is true even if the employee is not actively working and is simply on duty in case someone calls or an emergency comes up. Importantly, employers cannot automatically deduct meal breaks from an employee's hours worked if an employee chooses to work through the meal break.