Illinois meal and rest break law
The short answer
Employees who work 7.5 continuous hours or more must get a meal period of at least 20 minutes, beginning no later than 5 hours after the start of the work period, plus an additional 20-minute meal period for every additional 4.5 continuous hours worked. (Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (U.S. DOL WHD table, January 1, 2023))
Last verified Sep 24, 2026 · How we verify every rule
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Meal breaks
Do adult employees get a meal break?20 minutesVerified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Employees who work 7.5 continuous hours or more must get a meal period of at least 20 minutes, beginning no later than 5 hours after the start of the work period, plus an additional 20-minute meal period for every additional 4.5 continuous hours worked. (Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (U.S. DOL WHD table, January 1, 2023))
“At least 20 minutes, no later than 5 hours after the start of the work period, to employees who work 7 ½ continuous hours or more.”
“Employees must also be given a meal period of at least 20 minutes for every 7.5-hour shift beginning no later than 5 hours after the start of the shift, with an additional 20-minute meal period for every additional 4.5 continuous hours worked.”
One more case for this topic is not verified yet. Check the official source.
Rest breaks
Do adult employees get paid rest breaks?Not verified yetCheck the official source
We have not verified this rule for Illinois yet. Check the official source: dol.gov.
What it means for an employer
- Write down the break schedule for each shift length and give it to your staff.
- Short breaks you offer (about 5 to 20 minutes) count as paid work time under federal rules (U.S. DOL).
- A meal period can be unpaid only when the employee is completely relieved from duty (29 CFR 785.19).
- Record meal periods in your time system so you can show when each one started and ended.
The federal default
“Federal law does not require lunch or coffee breaks. However, when employers do offer short breaks (usually lasting about 5 to 20 minutes), federal law considers the breaks as compensable work hours that would be included in the sum of hours worked during the workweek and considered in determining if overtime was worked.”
“Bona fide meal periods are not worktime. Bona fide meal periods do not include coffee breaks or time for snacks. These are rest periods. The employee must be completely relieved from duty for the purposes of eating regular meals.”
State rules can add to the federal default. The Illinois rules above are the ones we verified; for anything not covered, ask the state labor office.
Breaks: Illinois and its neighbors
| State | Meal break | Rest break |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 20 minutes | Not verified |
| Wisconsin | No state rule | No state rule |
| Iowa | No state rule | No state rule |
| Missouri | Not verified | Not verified |
| Kentucky | Not verified | 10 min per 4 hours |
| Indiana | No state rule | No state rule |
Only verified rules are shown. "Not verified" means we have not checked that state's rule yet; open its rulebook for the official source.
Related
Questions about Illinois break laws
Do adult employees get a meal break in Illinois?
Employees who work 7.5 continuous hours or more must get a meal period of at least 20 minutes, beginning no later than 5 hours after the start of the work period, plus an additional 20-minute meal period for every additional 4.5 continuous hours worked. (Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (U.S. DOL WHD table, January 1, 2023))
Sources (4)
Checked Sep 24, 2026 · How we verify every rule · Report an error