required breaks?

[David37857]

I live and work in Tennessee. The place I work at works people 12 hours per day and only gives two 20 minute breaks in that time. I'm just curious if this is allowed.

[cbg]

No, it isn't.

TN law requires a 30 minute unpaid break for every 6 hours of work.

[David37857]

Well to be perfectly clear. We work 4 hours, get a 20 minute break, work 4 hours, get another 20 minute break, work 4 more hours, then go home, very very tired.

[cbg]

The fact remains that your employer is supposed to provide 30 minute breaks, not 20 minute breaks. What's wrong here is not the number of breaks; that's fine. What's wrong is the length of them.

They're okay in offering the breaks at four hours; the law says 30 minutes PER six hours of work, not AFTER 6 hours of work. And if you're working 12 hours, that would mean two breaks. It's just that the breaks are too short under TN law.

[David37857]

So then what can be done about it? Who would we(the workers) need to call?

[cbg]

The TN Department of Labor.

[David37857]

Thanks.

[troy mcfarland]

My employer says I don't get a 10 min. break for every 2 hours of work performed. Is this true?

[DAW]

What state? There is no federal law requiring breaks at all, although federal law does have rules requiring that short breaks be paid. Different states have very different rules on breaks.

Also, this is a 2-year old thread. In the future could you please just start a new thread? Thank you.

[cbg]

There is NO state where you are required to get a 10 minute break for every two hours of work.

[workingzombie]

Originally Posted by DAW

Also, this is a 2-year old thread. In the future could you please just start a new thread? Thank you.

there is nothing wrong with posting to a thread that is relevant to the subject regardless of the original post's age.

I have just registered and am reading past threads for info , I prefer to search threads before posting a question that may have been answered several times already.

[cyjeff]

It is considered rude to hijack someone else's thread with your own problem.

Not only that, but laws change significantly from year to year. By resurrecting old threads, you may actually be perpetuating false (but once true) information.

[cbg]

Not to mention the fact that when there is more than one question from more than one poster, it gets very confusing for the responders.

I'm all in favor of your searching threads before asking your question. That doesn't mean you can't start your own thread when you are ready to ask the question.