I understand I am allowed 2 fifteen minute breaks and 1 thirty minute break for my 8.5 hour day. However, on a busy day, my manager sometimes crams them all together and I am done with all of them by the my normal lunch time, leaving the last half of my day with no breaks. Is this something they can do??

Under Federal law, no breaks of any kind are required.

Under MA law, the only break an employer MUST offer is one 30 minute unpaid meal break if you work six hours or more.

Neither Federal nor state law requires that you be given two fifteen minute rest breaks. That is entirely up to the employer.

Since those breaks are not required at all, yes, they can be "crammed together" as you put it, or eliminated altogether (unless required by contract). As long as you receive the 30 minute unpaid meal break, your employer is within the law.

One more question: What is your occupation?

Also, one clarification to Cathy's post: If the employer restricts your movement during the meal break, or requires you to perform a job function during the break, then it must be a paid break.

Phil