Among the many rights given to employees are those concerning breaks and rest periods. Understanding Alaska’s break laws is essential for employers and employees to maintain a fair and productive work environment.
This guide aims to clarify the specifics of Alaska’s break laws for employers and employees.
This article covers:
- Meal Breaks in Alaska
- Rest Breaks in Alaska
- Break Obligations for Minors in Alaska
- Breastfeeding Breaks in Alaska
- Penalties for Employers in Alaska Violating Break Laws
Meal Breaks in Alaska
In Alaska, employers are only required to provide meal breaks for minor employees ages 14 through 17 who work five or more consecutive hours. Employees aged 18 and over are not entitled to meal breaks.
In the absence of state-specific meal breaks for adult employees, employers may still offer such breaks as part of their company practice.
If offered, employers must adhere to the FLSA’s meal break provisions, which stipulate that a bona fide meal break must be at least 30 minutes long and unpaid, provided the employees are relieved of all their duties
Rest Breaks in Alaska
Alaska has no state-specific laws mandating employers to provide rest breaks to employees.
However, employers in Alaska have the discretion to offer rest breaks to their employees. If provided, employers must follow the FLSA’s rest break provisions.
According to the FLSA, rest breaks that are less than 20 minutes are considered worked hours and should be compensated.
Break Obligations for Minors in Alaska
The state mandates that employees aged 14 to 17 are entitled to a 30-minute meal break when working shifts of five consecutive hours or more. This provision ensures that minors have adequate time to rest during work, reflecting Alaska’s commitment to the welfare of its younger workforce.
Breastfeeding Breaks in Alaska
Both federal and state laws require employers to provide nursing mothers with reasonable break times and accommodations to express breast milk for a year after childbirth. These laws also ensure mothers have a private space, shielded from the public and coworkers, for expressing milk.
According to AAM 280.460 Expressing Breast Milk at Workplace, employees who are nursing mothers are allowed to express milk as needed. An employee who wishes to express milk during her regular work hours must inform her supervisor so that appropriate break times and accommodations can be made for the employee’s needs. In addition, the employer must provide a place, other than a bathroom, that is protected from view and free from intrusion from coworkers for nursing employees to express breast milk comfortably.
Employees are also responsible for storing their milk properly and keeping milk expression areas clean for the next user.
Penalties for Employers in Alaska Violating Break Laws
If Alaska employers provide breaks rest breaks of less than 20 minutes they must compensate their employees for that time. While meal breaks of at least 30 minutes or more must be unpaid provided the employees are completely relieved of their duties. However, employers may owe payment to employees who work throughout the intended meal period.
Violations of these regulations can lead to various legal consequences and enforcement actions from the Department of Labor, including penalties, back wages, and other legal consequences.
Learn more about Alaska Labor Laws through our detailed guide.
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.
