Taking A Break At Work In Texas? Better Be Sure It’s Legal

If you work in Texas and can't get your boss to give you a break, or even a lunch hour, you should read this before you start bit**ing about it.

A happy employee is a good employee and it's rare to find a boss in the lone star state that won't let you have a minute to hit the bathroom or go have lunch. There are some that won't though and there isn't really any way to make them.

Seriously, in the lone star state, the man pretty much doesn't owe you a damn thing.

Luckily, here at KLAQ, our bosses are more than cool. The rule here is pretty much, "do what you're supposed to do and I won't give you any crap about how you do it". Granted, any boss will get on your nerves at some point but around here, it's not very likely to be over too many coffee breaks or a long lunch.

Do Texas Bosses Have To Allow Breaks?

Nope. There are no laws on the books that require employee break time. Not even a 2 minute stretch, let alone time to run to the water fountain, grab a coke, see what your homie in shipping is up to or anything else. They don't even have to let you stop and eat lunch.

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They do however, have to allow nursing Mothers to stop and do their thing and provide a private place for them to do it. The funny thing is, while there are no laws that require break/lunch time for employees; there are laws that regulate HOW they do it, IF they do it.

What Does Texas Law Say About Breaks?

Austin is the ONLY city in Texas that mandates break time and their law only applies to construction workers. If El Jefe does cut you some slack, he/she must pay you while you rest if you take no longer than 20 minutes.

If you get to take a lunch break, there are more rules placed upon your boss. Your break must be:

• Unpaid (as long as the break lasts at least 30 minutes)
• Uninterrupted (employees must be relieved of all duties)
• Clearly separated from work (no answering phones or sorting mail)

If you’re expected to do anything work related while you're wolfing down that sammy, they have to pay you according to the Texas Guidebook for Employers.