Kentucky meal and rest break law
The short answer
Employers must give a paid 10-minute rest period during each 4-hour work period, in addition to the regular meal period. (Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements 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?Not verified yetCheck the official source
We have not verified this rule for Kentucky yet. Check the official source: dol.gov.
Rest breaks
Do adult employees get paid rest breaks?10 min per 4 hoursVerified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Employers must give a paid 10-minute rest period during each 4-hour work period, in addition to the regular meal period. (Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements Under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (U.S. DOL WHD table, January 1, 2023))
“Kentucky Paid 10-minute rest period during each 4-hour work period”
“No employer shall require any employee to work without a rest period of at least ten (10) minutes during each four (4) hours worked, except those employees who are under the Federal Railway Labor Act.”
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 Kentucky rules above are the ones we verified; for anything not covered, ask the state labor office.
Breaks: Kentucky and its neighbors
| State | Meal break | Rest break |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | Not verified | 10 min per 4 hours |
| Illinois | 20 minutes | Not verified |
| Indiana | No state rule | No state rule |
| Ohio | Not verified | Not verified |
| West Virginia | 20 minutes | Not verified |
| Virginia | No state rule | No state rule |
| Tennessee | Not verified | Not verified |
| Missouri | Not verified | Not verified |
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 Kentucky break laws
Do adult employees get paid rest breaks in Kentucky?
Employers must give a paid 10-minute rest period during each 4-hour work period, in addition to the regular meal period. (Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements 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