Meal and Rest Break Requirements in Wyoming
At a glance
| Governing law | No state meal/rest-break mandate; Wyoming DWS FAQ ('Not under state statute') + current official Title 27; federal pay rules in Fact Sheet #22 |
|---|---|
| Required meal break | None required by Wyoming law; employer policy or agreement controls whether one is offered |
| Required paid rest break | None required; provided short rests, usually ≤20 min, count as paid hours worked (U.S. DOL Fact Sheet #22) |
| Paid or unpaid? | Provided short rests are paid; bona fide meals, typically ≥30 min, may be unpaid only with complete relief from duty (Fact Sheet #22) |
| Waiver and on-duty meals | No Wyoming scheduling right to waive; active or inactive duty during a purported meal makes the time paid under federal law |
| Who is covered or exempt | No general state break entitlement for ordinary private-sector workers; employer policies, contracts, or CBAs may provide breaks |
| Separate rule for minors | No separate Wyoming meal/rest schedule; current DWS youth guidance lists hour and hazardous-work limits without a break mandate |
| Remedy for a missed break | No state missed-break remedy because Wyoming requires no break; unpaid compensable provided-break time remains a wage-law issue |
Wyoming's rule in practice
Wyoming does not require an ordinary private employer to schedule a meal period or short rest break. The Department of Workforce Services answered that question directly on its Labor Standards FAQ: "Not under state statute." That answer was cross-checked against the current complete official Title 27 Labor and Employment publication, which contains no general meal or rest-break duty.
When an employer provides a break, federal pay rules apply. The U.S. Department of Labor's Fact Sheet #22 says short rests, usually 20 minutes or less, count as hours worked. A bona fide meal, typically 30 minutes or more, may be unpaid only when the employee is completely relieved from duty. Active or inactive duties while eating make the time compensable.
Wyoming's current youth guidance lists school-day and school-week hour limits, time-of-day restrictions, and hazardous-work prohibitions without adding a separate meal or short-rest schedule.
What trips people up
No scheduling mandate does not make working time unpaid. A provided 15-minute rest remains paid time, and a meal spent answering calls, watching equipment, or performing any other duty is not a duty-free meal.
An employer policy may be more generous than the state-law floor. If a handbook or agreement promises lunch or rest periods, that workplace rule still matters even though Wyoming does not impose a general scheduling mandate.
Common questions
Must an adult receive lunch on an eight-hour Wyoming shift?
No general Wyoming law requires it. Employer policy, a contract, or a collective-bargaining agreement may still provide one.
Is a provided 15-minute break paid?
Yes, under the federal hours-worked rule summarized in Fact Sheet #22. Short rests are counted as work time.
Do minors have a separate Wyoming meal-break right?
No separate statewide meal/rest schedule applies solely because the worker is a minor. Youth rules still limit hours, times of work, and hazardous jobs.
Statutes and sources
- Wyoming DWS, Labor Standards FAQ. The archived official agency page states that meal and rest breaks are not required under state statute. Official archived FAQ (accessed July 12, 2026).
- Wyo. Stat. § 27-2-104(a)(i). The current official Labor and Employment title identifies DWS's authority to enforce Wyoming's labor, wage, and hours laws. Official title (accessed July 12, 2026).
- Wyoming DWS, Your Rights as a Worker (Ages 14-17). Current official youth guidance lists hours and hazardous-work rules. Official guidance (accessed July 12, 2026).
- U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #22. The official federal guidance explains pay treatment for short rests and bona fide meals. Official guidance (accessed July 12, 2026).
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
What does Wyoming law mean for your facts?
You just read the general rule. Ask your own question and see which parts of current Wyoming law apply to your situation, with citations you can check.
Opens in Ezel Pro.
- Starts from the statutes this survey is built on
- Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
- Chat, drafting and research in one workspace