Arkansas Labor Laws Breaks

Quick Guide to Arkansas Labor Laws on Breaks

Arkansas Labor Laws: Breaks

Like federal labor laws, Arkansas labor law on breaks provides no specified breaks for employees over the age of 18. Employers are often encouraged to provide employees over the age of 18 with breaks to improve workplace efficiency, and a break less than 20 minutes need paid under federal law. If an employer provides an employee with a lunch break of 30 minutes or more, the employer does not need to provide wages according to Arkansas labor laws on breaks.

There are certain exceptions to the lack of Arkansas labor law on breaks, and information about new mothers and child labor will be discussed within the rest of this article.

Arkansas Labor Laws: Breaks for Nursing Mothers and Breastfeeding

A specific Arkansas labor law on breaks is provided within section 11-5-116 of the state’s revised code. Under this section of law, “an employer shall provide reasonable unpaid break time each day to an employee who needs to express breast milk for her child in order to maintain milk supply and comfort.” There are other provisions to this Arkansas labor law on breaks as well:

• the break, if possible, should run concurrently with any other paid or unpaid breaks already given to the employee by the employer

• the employer needs to make reasonable effort to provide a private, secure, and clean room apart from the normal work area—other than toilet stall—where the employee can express her breast milk

• the location of the room may include the employee’s normal work space if the workspace meets the requirements of this section

• this section does not apply if the situation would create hardships on the operations of the employer

Arkansas Labor Laws: Breaks for Minors

There are different Arkansas labor laws on breaks for children under the age of 16 and minors between 16 and 17. If the minor is less than 16 years older, the child cannot:

• work more than six days in any week

• work more than 48 hours in any week

• work more than 8 hours during any day

• work before 6:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. except on nonschool days in which they may work until 9:00 p.m.

If the minor is 16 or 17, there are several differences in Arkansas labor law on breaks. The child cannot work:

• more than 6 days a week

• more than 54 hours in any week

• more than 10 consecutive hours in any day

• more than 10 hours in any 24 hour period

• Before 6:00 a.m. or after 11:00 p.m. or until 12:00 a.m. on nights preceding nonschool days

There are numerous other provisions of Arkansas labor law on breaks that apply to the hours a minor between the ages of 16 and 17 can work. For more information on child labor laws under the Department of Labor, visit the link provided.