Understanding Alaska labor laws on workplace breaks is straightforward. The state requires employers to provide meal breaks for minors, while adult employees typically receive breaks at their employer’s discretion. However, when employers do offer breaks, certain rules apply.
This guide explains Alaska’s rest and meal break requirements, breastfeeding protections, and penalties for violations in clear, simple terms.
This Guide Covers
- Rest Breaks in Alaska
- Meal Breaks in Alaska
- Breastfeeding Breaks in Alaska
- Breaks for Minors in Alaska
- Penalties for Violating Break Laws in Alaska
Rest Breaks in Alaska
In Alaska, there is no law mandating employers to provide rest breaks to employees aged 18 or older. However, if an employer offers breaks that last less than 20 minutes, the employee must be paid for those breaks.
Meal Breaks in Alaska
Employers in Alaska are not required by law to provide meal breaks to employees aged 18 and above. However, if an employer offers meal breaks that last more than 20 minutes and frees the employee from all work duties during this period, the break will be unpaid.
Certain bargaining-unit employees in Alaska’s government receive an additional 30-minute meal period if they work two or more consecutive hours beyond their normal shift. This additional lunch break must be considered as time worked.
Breastfeeding Breaks in Alaska
Employers with one or more employees must provide a reasonable unpaid break time to nursing mothers to express milk as per Alaska’s HB 26 Act. These breaks must be provided at reasonable intervals and may overlap with other breaks provided to the employee. Employers must provide a private and sanitary space, other than a toilet, near the work area to express milk.
Other than this state law, the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) also provides covered nursing mothers with a reasonable break time and space to express breast milk for up to one year after their child’s birth. During this break time, the employee must be fully freed from work duties. If not, the break time must be paid, as per the FLSA guidelines.
Breaks for Minors in Alaska
Minor employees under 18 years of age who are scheduled to work for six consecutive hours or more are entitled to an unpaid break of at least 30 minutes during the work shift. While employers can schedule this break at their convenience, it must occur after 1.5 hours of work and before the last hour of the work shift.
Minors who have worked for five consecutive hours must take at least a 30-minute break before continuing work. This break provision ensures that minors have adequate time to rest during work.
Penalties for Violating Break Laws in Alaska
Employers who don’t provide the required, unpaid, 30-minute breaks to minors under 18 years of age can be held liable for paying minimum wage for the missed or delayed break period, under Alaska’s state law.
Employers who fail to provide a reasonable break time and space for nursing mothers to pump breast milk are held liable under the FLSA protections. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division can order such employers to reinstate or promote the employee, pay back wages, and provide compensatory damages resulting from violations of breastfeeding break laws.
Important Cautionary Note
This content is provided for informational purposes only. While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information presented, we cannot guarantee that it is free of errors or omissions. Users are advised to independently verify any critical information and should not solely rely on the content provided.
