Oregon break laws require 30 minutes, relieved of all duty, for each work period of 6 to 8 hours (between the 2nd and 5th hour of a shift up to 7 hours, the 3rd and 6th hour of a longer one); a paid 20-minute meal where that is industry custom; a paid on-duty eating period where the work prevents relief,
and a paid 10-minute rest break for every 4-hour segment or major portion, about in the middle of each segment (OAR 839-020-0050).
This guide gives the exact oregon break laws rule with the date we verified it, the statute, and what to do next. Rules verified against Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) or an attorney before you rely on it.
Oregon Break Laws at a Glance
| Meal break | 30 minutes, relieved of all duty, for each work period of 6 to 8 hours (between the 2nd and 5th hour of a shift up to 7 hours, the 3rd and 6th hour of a longer one); a paid 20-minute meal where that is industry custom; a paid on-duty eating period where the work prevents relief |
| Meal statute | OAR 839-020-0050 |
| Paid rest break | A paid 10-minute rest break for every 4-hour segment or major portion, about in the middle of each segment (OAR 839-020-0050) |
| Rest break required | Yes |
In This Oregon Break Laws Guide:
Oregon Break Laws: Meal Breaks
30 minutes, relieved of all duty, for each work period of 6 to 8 hours (between the 2nd and 5th hour of a shift up to 7 hours, the 3rd and 6th hour of a longer one); a paid 20-minute meal where that is industry custom; a paid on-duty eating period where the work prevents relief. The rule comes from OAR 839-020-0050.
A meal break can be unpaid only when you are completely relieved of duty; a lunch at your desk answering phones is paid work time.
Oregon Break Laws: Rest Breaks
A paid 10-minute rest break for every 4-hour segment or major portion, about in the middle of each segment (OAR 839-020-0050). Under the federal rule a break of 5 to 20 minutes is counted as hours worked whether or not the state requires it, so an employer that gives a 10-minute break may not dock it.
Oregon Break Laws at a Glance
Rules verified against Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) or an attorney before you rely on it. The statute row is where to check it yourself.
| Meal break | 30 minutes, relieved of all duty, for each work period of 6 to 8 hours (between the 2nd and 5th hour of a shift up to 7 hours, the 3rd and 6th hour of a longer one); a paid 20-minute meal where that is industry custom; a paid on-duty eating period where the work prevents relief |
| Meal statute | OAR 839-020-0050 |
| Paid rest break | A paid 10-minute rest break for every 4-hour segment or major portion, about in the middle of each segment (OAR 839-020-0050) |
| Rest break required | Yes |
Oregon Break Laws for Hourly Employees
Hourly workers get the meal and rest rules above; exempt salaried workers are usually outside them.
Oregon Break Laws for Minors
Oregon generally requires employers to give workers under 18 longer paid rest breaks than adults, plus an unpaid meal period on longer shifts if the minor is fully relieved of all duties. BOLI says the meal-period exceptions can apply only to 16- and 17-year-olds, so 14- and 15-year-olds must always get the required meal period, whatever the job.
Oregon Break Laws for Nursing Mothers
Under ORS 653.077, Oregon employers generally must give a reasonable rest period to express milk each time the worker needs one, and make reasonable efforts to provide a private space that is not a bathroom. The federal PUMP Act separately covers most workers with similar break and private-space rights.
Under both laws, the time is generally unpaid unless it falls during a regular paid break, so confirm the details with BOLI.
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What to Do If Oregon Break Laws Are Ignored
An Oregon worker whose meal or rest breaks are denied may file a meal and rest period complaint, or a wage claim for unpaid time, with the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Wage and Hour Division. If you worked through a meal period, the state generally requires the employer to pay for the whole period, and BOLI may award lost wages and penalty wages if it finds violations.
Filing a civil lawsuit or grievance over the same violations generally withdraws the BOLI complaint, so confirm the deadlines and options with BOLI before choosing a route.
Other Oregon Break Laws Rules to Know
Oregon does not allow a paid rest break to be added to a meal period or taken off the start or end of a shift to shorten the workday. Certain tipped food and beverage workers may sign a written waiver of the meal period under BOLI rules. Covered hospital employees fall under a separate law, ORS 653.258, and file missed-break complaints with the Oregon Health Authority.
Breaks denied? The wage-claim agency can order the pay you are owed.
Oregon — the bottom line
- Oregon break laws require 30 minutes, relieved of all duty, for each work period of 6 to 8 hours (between the 2nd and 5th hour of a shift up to 7….
- Under oregon break laws any break of 20 minutes or less that you are given is paid time, and a skipped meal period is paid work.
- Oregon break laws are enforced through a free wage claim; keep a log of the breaks you did not get.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are employers required to give lunch breaks under Oregon break laws?
30 minutes, relieved of all duty, for each work period of 6 to 8 hours (between the 2nd and 5th hour of a shift up to 7 hours, the 3rd and 6th hour of a longer one); a paid 20-minute meal where that is industry custom; a paid on-duty eating period where the…
Does Oregon require paid rest breaks?
A paid 10-minute rest break for every 4-hour segment or major portion, about in the middle of each segment (OAR 839-020-0050).
Can I be made to work through lunch in Oregon?
If you work through a meal period you must be paid for it; where the state requires the break, the employer also violates the break law.
What are the Oregon break laws for minors?
Oregon generally requires employers to give workers under 18 longer paid rest breaks than adults, plus an unpaid meal period on longer shifts if the minor is fully relieved of all duties.
What can I do if my Oregon employer denies breaks?
An Oregon worker whose meal or rest breaks are denied may file a meal and rest period complaint, or a wage claim for unpaid time, with the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Wage and Hour Division.
Official Oregon Sources & Resources
- Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI): https://www.oregon.gov/boli/workers/pages/paychecks.aspx
- Oregon statute (OAR 839-020-0050): https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors653.html
- Verified source: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/meal-breaks
- Verified source: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/rest-periods
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — state payday requirements: dol.gov
This oregon break laws guide was last verified against official Oregon sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More Oregon Workplace Rights Guides
- Oregon Overtime Laws: Threshold, Rate and Exemptions
- Oregon Labor Laws: Every Rule in One Place
- Oregon Sick Leave Law: Accrual and Caps
- Oregon Final Paycheck Law: Deadlines and Penalties
- Unemployment and Workplace Rights Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Final-paycheck deadlines, penalties and non compete rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current rule with your state labor department or a licensed attorney before you act.