North Dakota Labor Laws Breaks

A brief guide to North Dakota labor laws on breaks

Many legal protections are offered to protect the rights of employees while on the job. North Dakota labor law on breaks vary according to the type of employment you have and how many coworkers there are. It is important to be aware of all your rights regarding ND labor laws on breaks to ensure that they are not violated.

North Dakota labor laws on breaks safeguard the rights of anyone who is working at a minimum wage job. If your place of employment has you working shifts which last five hours or longer and at least two people are working, ND labor laws on breaks state you must be given at least 30 minutes to eat lunch. North Dakota labor law on breaks allows employees to waive their right to this period if they wish. Doing so will require you to reach an agreement with an employer. North Dakota labor laws on breaks do not allow an employer to force you to give up this right.

You may wish to do so because any break lasting 30 minutes or longer does not require an employer to compensate you for this period of the workday. However, this North Dakota labor law on breaks also states that you must be completely relieved of all work tasks during this time. For example, if you are required to perform customer service tasks such as answering the phone during this time, ND labor laws on breaks state that you have not stopped working. North Dakota labor laws on breaks require employers to compensate you for any work performed during this time.

ND labor laws on breaks forbid an employer from dictating how you spend a lunch break during which you are not working. This means that, under North Dakota labor law on breaks, you may leave your workspace and spend this period as you see fit. An employer cannot require you to stay on the worksite or otherwise control your actions during this time. If they attempt to do so, they are in violation of North Dakota labor laws on breaks.

These laws do not provide any provision for breaks which last less than half an hour on shifts under five hours. For example, North Dakota labor law on breaks do not require employers to offer short periods of rest during shifts. However, any such periods must be duly compensated under ND labor laws on breaks. If an employer offers 15-minutes intervals of rest, North Dakota labor laws on breaks require them to pay employees for this part of the workday.

If you feel that your employer has violated any ND labor laws on breaks, you should contact the Wage and Hour division of the North Dakota Department of Labor. This government agency is responsible for ensuring that employers do not violate any North Dakota labor law on breaks. Should they decline to take action on your behalf, you may wish to contact a lawyer who can litigate regarding a violation of North Dakota labor laws on breaks.