Connecticut Break Laws

November 21st 2025

Understanding Connecticut labor laws regarding employee breaks is key to maintaining a fair and compliant workplace. While the state doesn’t mandate rest breaks for most employees, it requires employers to offer meal and breastfeeding breaks.

This guide breaks down everything employers and employees need to know about Connecticut’s break laws, from meal and rest breaks to special provisions for nursing mothers.

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Rest Breaks in Connecticut

In Connecticut, rest breaks are not mandated by state or federal law. However, if employers covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act offer rest breaks, shorter breaks of fewer than 20 minutes are considered paid work hours under FLSA’s break guidelines. These rest periods are also counted during weekly overtime calculations in Connecticut.

Additionally, paid rest breaks in Connecticut cannot be offset against other periods of work, such as waiting or on-call time.

Meal Breaks in Connecticut

Employees who work for 7.5 or more consecutive hours are entitled to at least a 30-minute meal break in Connecticut. This break must be scheduled two hours after the employee starts work and before the last two hours of a shift. 

Employers and employees can also mutually agree in writing to a different meal break schedule. Additionally, if an employer already offers paid rest or meal breaks lasting 30 minutes or more to their employees within each 7.5 hours of work, they are not required to give additional meal breaks.

Some employers in Connecticut can be exempted from providing meal breaks by the Labor Commissioner if:

  • Complying with meal break law threatens public safety.
  • Only one employee can perform a specific job duty.
  • Fewer than five employees work on a shift at a single work location (only applicable to employees on that shift).
  • The nature of operations requires employees to be available to respond to certain conditions at all times.

In such cases, the employees must be compensated for breaks they spend working.

Some employees are exempt from meal breaks, such as certain certified education professionals who work directly with children in public schools.

Breastfeeding Breaks in Connecticut

Nursing employees are entitled to use their meal or break times to express milk or breastfeed at work without fear of employer retaliation or discrimination, as per Connecticut break laws.

For this purpose, employers with one or more employees should provide employees with a private space near the work area (other than a toilet) that:

  • Is intrusion-free and shielded from view
  • Includes a refrigerator or cold storage for milk storage
  • Provides access to an electrical outlet

However, employers are exempt from providing these facilities if it creates undue hardship for their business.

Breaks for Minor Employees in Connecticut

There are restrictions on the daily hours and industries a minor is allowed to work in Connecticut. Minor employees under the age of 18 who are enrolled in and have not graduated from high school cannot work more than six hours per day during school days and more than eight hours per day on non-school days. Minors who aren’t enrolled in/graduated from secondary school can work up to eight or nine hours per day, depending on their work industry.

Penalties for Violating Break Laws in Connecticut

Connecticut employers who violate the state’s meal break rules can be ordered to pay a penalty of $150 by the Labor Commissioner.

If an employer chooses to offer rest breaks in Connecticut, employees cannot extend those breaks beyond the permitted length under FLSA’s break guidelines; a violation of this rule is punishable by the employer.

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.