Unpaid Breaks Attorney

Make sure you receive the breaks you deserve

Many employers agree in principle to provide unpaid breaks to employees. Unfortunately, some companies don’t follow their own rules. Instead of providing employees with unpaid breaks, some businesses don’t actually provide these breaks. Or if employees do take a break, some employers pay workers less than the amount they’re owed for their work.

If you suspect that your employer is violating your company’s break policy, make sure you talk to a lawyer who thoroughly understands wage and hour claims. Make an appointment with an attorney at Gibson Law, LLC. Our Ohio lawyers know exactly what to do based on years of experience handling such complex legal cases.

Our attorneys have a unique perspective on how to handle such cases based on our previous work representing employers. In such cases, we saw exactly how businesses and their attorneys think. Now, we use our knowledge on behalf of workers who believe their rights have been violated. We’re on your side and can help you build the strongest possible legal case.

Does my employer have to provide breaks?

Each state has its own unique laws concerning unpaid breaks (or paid breaks) for employees. In Ohio, employers are not required by law to provide unpaid breaks for workers. However, many companies in Ohio do agree to provide breaks for employees, particularly if the employee works an 8-hour-long shift.

If a company in Ohio does agree to provide a rest break, the employee must be paid during their break period, which often ranges from 5 to 20 minutes per break. Such rules are based on Ohio’s state labor laws and federal labor laws.

Employers who do not pay employees for break periods should be held accountable for their actions. An experienced wage and hour lawyer can review the details of your case, determine if your rights were violated and take legal action on your behalf if necessary.

Are employers required to pay employees for lunch breaks?

Ohio employers are not required by law to provide paid or unpaid lunch breaks to employees. However, many employers do agree to give their workers time to eat during their work shift, especially if they work for 8 consecutive hours. In such cases, many employers provide an unpaid 30-minute-long meal break.

For a lunch break to be considered a break, employers must not ask employees to do any work during their break period. If employees are expected to work or be on call for work during their break period, employees should be paid for that time since it’s not truly a break.

What should I do if I am not receiving unpaid work breaks?

If your employer is not allowing you to take an unpaid work break, lunch break or expects you to work during that time, it’s important to take certain steps to protect your rights. Such steps include:

• Write down or document in some way each time you’re not allowed to take a break.
• Tell a supervisor or another employee in a management position that you are not being allowed to take a break at work as allowed by your employer.
• If your company does not respond to your complaint (or if you are reprimanded or punished for complaining), talk to an attorney to learn more about your legal rights.

Consulting with a lawyer in such situations is often the best course of action. An attorney can review the details of your potential legal case, explain how the law applies to your circumstance and advise you on what to do next.

Make sure you fully understand your rights. Contact our law firm

Workers throughout Ohio have rights, including the right to take a break if your employer offers such rest periods. Make sure you get the time you need to rest and recover without having to worry about being punished. Make sure you talk to an attorney at our law firm. We work with employees who have been harassed or punished simply for trying to exercise their rights at work.

We can help. That’s why we want to meet with you as soon as possible. Contact our law firm for a consultation with a member of our legal team. We have offices in Cincinnati and Dayton.