Minnesota to update meal and rest break rules from Jan 2026

Minnesota has passed new rules strengthening employee meal and rest break protections, set to take effect on January 1, 2026, as reported by the National Law Review.

Currently, employers in Minnesota are only required to provide enough or “adequate” time for a restroom break once every four consecutive hours of work, without the specification of a set duration.

Under the new law, rest break duration is now specified at at least 15 minutes, or enough time to reach and use the restroom, whichever is longer. This time is expected to be paid.

In the same manner, meal break length is also currently not specified and labelled as “sufficient time to eat a meal,” applicable only to shifts over eight hours.

The new law will require meal breaks to last at least 30 minutes for any shift that is six hours or longer. This requirement remains unpaid.

Further rules and guidance are expected for issuance before the effective date from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry manages the state’s programs for apprenticeships, dual-training pipelines, construction codes and licensing, workplace safety and health, workers’ compensation, wage and hour standards, and youth skills training.

Employer Liability and Worker Compensation

The updated law introduces penalties for employers who fail to provide the required paid rest breaks or unpaid meal breaks.

In such cases, workers will be entitled to receive compensation equal to twice the wages they would have earned during the missed break, calculated at their regular pay rate.

While the impact of these rules will vary between workplaces, all Minnesota employers are expected to review and update their policies to ensure compliance before the January 2026 start date.

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