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Meal and Rest Break Laws in Nebraska

Nebraska requires at least 30 consecutive minutes for lunch in each 8-hour shift only at assembling plants, workshops and mechanical establishments, and has no rest break rule for adults.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Nebraska at a glance

Meal break required
Assembly plants, workshops, mechanical only
Does not apply to work covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement or other written employer-employee agreement.
Meal break rule
30 consecutive minutes per 8-hour shift
The employer may not require the employee to stay in the building or on the premises during lunch.
Rest break required
No
Rest break rule
No state requirement for adults

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Nebraska

Does Nebraska law require meal breaks for adult employees?

Assembly plants, workshops, mechanical only. Meal break required in Nebraska: assembly plants, workshops, mechanical only. Does not apply to work covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement or other written employer-employee agreement.

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

Meal break rule in Nebraska: 30 consecutive minutes per 8-hour shift. The employer may not require the employee to stay in the building or on the premises during lunch.

Does Nebraska law require rest breaks for adult employees?

No. Rest break required in Nebraska: no.

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

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

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

The rules above come from Neb. Rev. Stat. 48-212. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

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.