The school district in Missouri I work for is forcing me to take two unpaid 15-minute breaks, plus a 30-minute unpaid lunch break. Instead of taking two separate 15-minute breaks I am also forced to combine the two breaks with the lunch break, all unpaid. Is this requirement legal? Am I correct in assuming that the two 15-minute breaks should be paid and also that they should be separate breaks rather than combined?

Under federal law, breaks of less than 20 minutes must be paid. However, what is happening is that you are NOT getting breaks. In effect, what you are getting is a 60-minute unpaid meal period.

However, Missouri law does not require rest breaks, so what they are doing is not illegal.
http://www.dolir.mo.gov/ls/faq/faq_general.htm

Under federal law, breaks of less than 20 minutes must be paid. However, what is happening is that you are NOT getting breaks. In effect, what you are getting is a 60-minute unpaid meal period.

However, Missouri law does not require rest breaks, so what they are doing is not illegal.
http://www.dolir.mo.gov/ls/faq/faq_general.htm

Thanks. What I have also found out is that employees in the same school district are not subject to the same 60-min unpaid lunch break. They get a 30-minute unpaid lunch break and two 15-min paid breaks. Is it legal to have separate rules in essentially the same workplace?

Since rest breaks and meal periods are not mandated by state law, it is perfectly legal to have different work rules in different locations.

Since rest breaks and meal periods are not mandated by state law, it is perfectly legal to have different work rules in different locations.

Thanks for the insights.

so are you guys basically saying that there is nothing saying that you legally have to be given a break paid or unpaid? i work anywhere from 6-8 hour days and i dont get a break at all. so i go the whole time without a meal and any time to clear my head from the stress. i am also working like 10 days straight before i get a day off which wouldnt be so bad if i got a break. its getting very very stressful and im getting really close to my breaking point but i like the people i work and im making decent money, which is really important right now because im going away to school in a couple of months.

Would have been nice if you'd opened your own thread instead of tacking onto a two year old one but...

Yes, that is what we are saying. There is nothing in either Federal or Missouri law that requires an employer to provide any breaks.

sorry this is the one that came up when i searched missouri labor laws and i couldnt figure out how to start a new thread. i just signed up last night.

You click on the blue button that says "New Thread".