Question about Breaks for Manual Labor Employees

[MephDaddy]

I work for a well known factory in northern iowa. As of late we have been scheduled to work an 8.5 hour work day consisting of 3 breaks. We recieve 2 10 minute payed breaks and a 30 min non payed lunch break.

Starting next week we will be switching over to a straight 8 hours or work per day but are removing one of our 10 min breaks and reducing our lunch break to 20 min but both breaks are now payed.

It has been mentioned that according to labor laws that it is required that employees are to recieve a break for every 2 hours of work. Now im not a law expert and dont even know where to start.

My Questions are:

1) What does the Labor Laws state when it comes to breaks for employees?
2) Is my company able to do this?
3) Should some kind of action be taken whether it thru work or some means of legal action?

[Pattymd]

From the state website:

Question :
What kind of breaks are required under Iowa law?

Answer :
Iowa has no laws mandating breaks for adults. An employer does not have to pay you for a break during which you are completely relieved of your job duties. Your employer can require you to stay on the business premises during your break. The following breaks are required:

1. Minors younger than 16 must be given a 30-minute break if they are employed five hours or more each day.
2. All employees must be allowed toilet breaks when needed.
3. Workers covered by union contract who don’t receive contact-promised breaks should contact their union representative.
4. Truck drivers should contact the Iowa Department of Transportation for regulations regarding breaks.
5. Certain other limited categories of workers, such as airline pilots, may be entitled to mandatory breaks under applicable regulations. Check with the appropriate regulatory agency for such regulations.

Accordingly, there is no violation of law here.

[MephDaddy]

Thank you for the fast responce. So according to Iowa Labor Laws my employer is not even required to give us breaks or does all that only pertain to paid breaks?

Mine and my fellow employees problem is that we are losing one of our break times. It is a first that any current employee has known that our company has ever reduced the amount of breaks in a day from 3 down to 2 in an 8 hour period.

[Pattymd]

Nope, no breaks at all are required by law for adult employees, either under federal or Iowa law, irrespective of whether the breaks are paid or not.

[cbg]

BTW, only about six or eight states require any rest breaks at all, and only about half the states require meal breaks for adults. Iowa is by no means alone in this.