Skip to content
Oakclause

Meal and Rest Break Laws in Kentucky

Kentucky requires a reasonable lunch period that starts between the 3rd and 5th hour of the shift, plus a paid 10-minute rest break for each 4 hours worked.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Kentucky at a glance

Meal break required
Yes
Meal break rule
Reasonable lunch period, between 3rd and 5th hour
Should be near the middle of the shift. A collective bargaining agreement or mutual agreement can provide otherwise. Railway Labor Act employers are excluded.
Rest break required
Yes
Rest break rule
Paid 10 minutes per 4 hours worked
In addition to the lunch period, with no reduction in pay. A collective bargaining agreement giving equal or more break time controls.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Kentucky

Does Kentucky law require meal breaks for adult employees?

Yes. Meal break required in Kentucky: yes.

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

Meal break rule in Kentucky: Reasonable lunch period, between 3rd and 5th hour. Should be near the middle of the shift. A collective bargaining agreement or mutual agreement can provide otherwise. Railway Labor Act employers are excluded.

Does Kentucky law require rest breaks for adult employees?

Yes. Rest break required in Kentucky: yes.

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

Rest break rule in Kentucky: Paid 10 minutes per 4 hours worked. In addition to the lunch period, with no reduction in pay. A collective bargaining agreement giving equal or more break time controls.

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

The rules above come from Ky. Rev. Stat. 337.355 and Ky. Rev. Stat. 337.365. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

The statute text was checked on a FindLaw mirror current as of January 1, 2025, because the official Kentucky Legislature statute site was unavailable. The US Department of Labor table, which describes the meal period as ordinarily half an hour, matches it.

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.