Skip to content
Oakclause

Meal and Rest Break Laws in Alaska

Alaska does not require meal or rest breaks for employees 18 and over; a 30-minute break rule applies only to minors ages 14 to 17.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Alaska at a glance

Meal break required
No
Meal break rule
No state requirement for adults
Minors ages 14 to 17 who work 5 or more consecutive hours must get a break of at least 30 minutes.
Rest break required
No
Rest break rule
No state requirement for adults
If an employer allows breaks of less than 20 minutes, they must be paid.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Alaska

Does Alaska law require meal breaks for adult employees?

No. Meal break required in Alaska: no.

How long is the required meal break in Alaska, and when is it due?

Meal break rule in Alaska: No state requirement for adults. Minors ages 14 to 17 who work 5 or more consecutive hours must get a break of at least 30 minutes.

Does Alaska law require rest breaks for adult employees?

No. Rest break required in Alaska: no.

How long are required rest breaks in Alaska, and when are they due?

Rest break rule in Alaska: No state requirement for adults. If an employer allows breaks of less than 20 minutes, they must be paid.

Where do the Alaska meal and rest break laws come from?

The rules above come from Alaska Dept. of Labor, Wage and Hour FAQ and US DOL, Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements Under State Law (Jan. 1, 2023). Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

According to the Alaska Department of Labor, if an employer allows breaks that last less than 20 minutes, the break must be paid.

What this means in practice

Put the break schedule in writing, for example in an employee handbook, and apply it consistently. State rules often depend on shift length, so the policy should say when a break is due and how long it lasts.

Under federal rules, short rest breaks are generally counted as paid work time, while a bona fide meal period during which the employee is fully relieved of duty usually does not have to be paid. If an employee is asked to stay at the workstation or answer calls, the meal period may count as work time.

Check whether a state rule covers your industry and workforce. Break laws can treat minors, health care workers, nursing mothers or employees under a collective bargaining agreement differently, and city ordinances may add requirements.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.