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Meal and Rest Break Laws in Connecticut

Connecticut requires a 30-minute meal period for employees who work 7.5 or more consecutive hours, given after the first 2 hours and before the last 2 hours; there is no general rest break requirement.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Connecticut at a glance

Meal break required
Yes
Meal break rule
30 minutes for 7.5 or more consecutive hours
Given after the first 2 hours and before the last 2 hours. A written agreement may set a different schedule; employers giving 30+ minutes of paid breaks are exempt.
Rest break required
No
Rest break rule
No state requirement for adults

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Connecticut

Does Connecticut law require meal breaks for adult employees?

Yes. Meal break required in Connecticut: yes.

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

Meal break rule in Connecticut: 30 minutes for 7.5 or more consecutive hours. Given after the first 2 hours and before the last 2 hours. A written agreement may set a different schedule; employers giving 30+ minutes of paid breaks are exempt.

Does Connecticut law require rest breaks for adult employees?

No. Rest break required in Connecticut: no.

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

Rest break rule in Connecticut: No state requirement for adults.

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

The rules above come from Conn. Gen. Stat. 31-51ii. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

The rule does not apply to employers that provide 30 or more total minutes of paid rest or meal periods within each 7.5-hour work period. The Labor Commissioner must exempt an employer in listed cases, for example where fewer than five employees work a shift at a single place of business.

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.