Generally speaking, yes an employer may require that their employees take breaks, even if they are not required to provide them under the law; there is nothing in the law that would prevent them from doing so.
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.
Yes, you can bring a legal claim associated with the employer not providing you with a reasonable opportunity to take your meal or rest periods.
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 working 6 or more consecutive hours must receive a 30-minute meal break.
It is not legal in the US per OSHA regulations for an employer to work an employee 8 hours without a scheduled break. In fact, the OSHA rules are to be posted in every break room.
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.
The state's labor laws do not require a lunch break for workdays of less than 8 hours. However, if you work more than 8 hours in a day, your employer must provide you with a 30-minute uninterrupted meal break.
All complaints are confidential and must be filed within two years of the event. You may begin your claim by calling 1-866-4USWAGE or visiting the division's website to find the nearest office towards you.
In the Sunshine State, there is no requirement for an employer to provide a meal period or rest break to its employees aged 18 or older. Instead, employers must adhere to the requirements of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which also does not mandate a meal or rest break.