Meal and Rest Break Laws in the District of Columbia
District of Columbia law does not require meal breaks or rest breaks for adult private-sector employees.
Last checked . General information, not legal advice.
District of Columbia at a glance
- Meal break required
- No
- Meal break rule
- No DC requirement for adults
- Rest break required
- No
- Rest break rule
- No DC requirement for adults
The rules in the District of Columbia
Does District of Columbia law require meal breaks for adult employees?
No. Meal break required in the District of Columbia: no.
How long is the required meal break in the District of Columbia, and when is it due?
Meal break rule in the District of Columbia: No DC requirement for adults.
Does District of Columbia law require rest breaks for adult employees?
No. Rest break required in the District of Columbia: no.
How long are required rest breaks in the District of Columbia, and when are they due?
Rest break rule in the District of Columbia: No DC requirement for adults.
Where do the the District of Columbia meal and rest break laws come from?
The rules above come from US DOL, Meal Period Requirements Under State Law for Adult Employees (Jan. 1, 2023) 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
The US Department of Labor state tables (last revised January 1, 2023) do not list the District of Columbia as requiring meal periods or paid rest periods for adult private-sector employees.
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.
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