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Meal and Rest Break Laws in Tennessee

Tennessee requires a 30-minute unpaid meal break for employees scheduled to work 6 consecutive hours, but does not require rest breaks.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Tennessee at a glance

Meal break required
Yes
Meal break rule
30 minutes unpaid if scheduled 6 consecutive hours
Not during or before the first hour of work. Not required where the work gives ample opportunity to eat. Tipped food and beverage servers may waive it in writing.
Rest break required
No
Rest break rule
No state requirement for adults
Short breaks that an employer chooses to give are generally paid under federal rules.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Tennessee

Does Tennessee law require meal breaks for adult employees?

Yes. Meal break required in Tennessee: yes.

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

Meal break rule in Tennessee: 30 minutes unpaid if scheduled 6 consecutive hours. Not during or before the first hour of work. Not required where the work gives ample opportunity to eat. Tipped food and beverage servers may waive it in writing.

Does Tennessee law require rest breaks for adult employees?

No. Rest break required in Tennessee: no.

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

Rest break rule in Tennessee: No state requirement for adults. Short breaks that an employer chooses to give are generally paid under federal rules.

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

The rules above come from Tenn. Code Ann. 50-2-103(h). 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.