Meal and Rest Break Requirements in Georgia
At a glance
| Governing law | No Georgia meal/rest-break mandate; current Georgia Department of Labor Breaks and Meals guidance; 29 C.F.R. §§ 785.18-.19 govern pay |
|---|---|
| Required meal break | None required by Georgia law |
| Required paid rest break | None required by Georgia law; provided short rests of 5-about 20 min are paid work under 29 C.F.R. § 785.18 |
| Paid or unpaid? | Provided short rests are paid; a meal may be unpaid only when the worker is free to use it and performs no work (GDOL; §§ 785.18-.19) |
| Waiver and on-duty meals | Not applicable because Georgia mandates no break; duties performed while eating make the period worktime under § 785.19 |
| Who is covered or exempt | No general state coverage for adult private-sector workers; an employer policy, CBA, or occupation-specific rule may provide more |
| Separate rule for minors | No separate general meal/rest rule; Georgia Department of Labor's child-labor FAQ says state and federal law require neither |
| Remedy for a missed break | No Georgia missed-break remedy because no break is mandated; federal pay rules still apply to provided breaks and work during meals |
Georgia's rule in practice
Georgia does not require an ordinary private employer to schedule a meal period or a short rest break. The current Georgia Department of Labor guidance says this directly for workers generally, and its child-labor employer FAQ gives the same answer to a minor asking about a 15-minute break after four hours.
That leaves the existence and schedule of breaks to the employer's policy, an employment agreement, or another rule that applies to a particular job. Federal law still controls whether provided time must be paid. Under 29 C.F.R. § 785.18, short rests of 5 minutes to about 20 minutes count as hours worked. Under § 785.19(a), a bona fide meal ordinarily is not worktime only when the employee is completely relieved from duty.
What trips people up
"No required break" does not mean "any break may be unpaid." If an employer provides a 10- or 15-minute rest, federal law counts it as paid work. If the worker must answer calls, monitor equipment, or perform another duty while eating, the meal is worktime rather than a fully off-duty meal.
Georgia also does not create a general break rule merely because the worker is a minor. Child-labor limits on permissible hours or occupations are separate from a meal/rest entitlement.
Common questions
Must a Georgia employer provide lunch on an eight-hour shift?
No general Georgia law requires it. The employer may still promise a meal period through its handbook, policy, or agreement.
Is a provided 15-minute break paid?
Yes. 29 C.F.R. § 785.18 treats a short rest of 5 minutes to about 20 minutes as paid hours worked.
Can an employer call a working lunch unpaid?
No. Under § 785.19(a), an employee who must perform active or inactive duties while eating is not completely relieved from duty.
Statutes and sources
- Georgia Department of Labor, Breaks and Meals. Current official state guidance states that Georgia law requires neither breaks nor meal periods and explains the federal pay treatment. Official guidance (accessed July 12, 2026).
- Georgia Department of Labor, Employers FAQs — Child Labor. The current official FAQ confirms that the state supplies no separate general break rule for minors. Official FAQ (accessed July 12, 2026).
- 29 C.F.R. §§ 785.18-.19. The current federal rules treat provided short rests as paid time and require complete relief from duty for an unpaid bona fide meal. Short rests and meals (accessed July 12, 2026).
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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