Meal and Break Rules in Rhode Island

Effective July 10, 2005, Rhode Island law provides that all employees working a six hour shift are entitled to a 20 minute mealtime and all employees working an eight hour shift are entitled to a 30 minute mealtime. However, employers are not required to compensate employees for mealtimes. Employers who employ less than three people on any shift on a worksite and employers of licensed health care facilities are exempt from coverage.

Note: This provision applies to factories, workshops and mercantile establishments only.

No person may be employed for more than six consecutive hours in a Rhode Island factory, workshop, mechanical or mercantile establishment without at least a 20-minute interval for a meal. However, the person may be so employed for not more than six and one-half hours if the employment ends not later than 1:00 p.m. and the person is then dismissed for the day; or for not more than seven and one-half hours if the person is allowed enough time to eat a lunch during the continuance of such employment, the employment ends not later than 2:00 p.m. and the person is then dismissed for the day. The section does not apply to any telephone exchange where the operator is not required to operate at the switchboard continuously during the night, but is able to sleep during a considerable part of the night.