What is federal and State(Indiana) law regarding breaks?

Question

Presently I work part-time for an employer. While technically a part-time employee, I usually work 35 - 50 hours a week. Generally we are so busy I don't have time to take a break. I'm well aware that the option is there for me to do so, but do not take one. I would much rather work through the day as it makes things go much faster, and by not taking one I avoid work piling up on me.

Recently however, my hours have been drastically cut down to six hours a day, five days a week (total of 30 hours a week). On top of this I have been told I MUST take a mandatory 1 hour break everyday further lowering my hours to 5 a day. I'm well aware that federal and state law tells an employer that they must give an employee breaks, but what about this obvious misuse? Is there anything to prevent an employer from forcing an employee to have excessive break time merely to keep them in their place of business for more hours?

Answer 1

I think federal labor law reads one 10 minute per every four hours and if you work more then four hours you are intitled to a 20 miute lunch break. State law I am not sure but you can probably google for that.

Answer 2

Indiana Law
If you are over 18 years of age, Indiana law does not require your employer to give time off for lunch or breaks. If you are under 18 years of age, Indiana law requires your employer to provide you either one or two rest breaks totaling 30-minutes when you are scheduled to work six or more consecutive hours.
http://www.in.gov/labor/wagehour/estandfaq.html#breaks

Federal Law
Federal law does not require lunch or coffee breaks. However, when employers do offer short breaks (usually lasting about 5 to 20 minutes), federal law considers the breaks work-time that must be paid. Unauthorized extensions of authorized work breaks need not be counted as hours worked when the employer has expressly and unambiguously communicated to the employee that the authorized break may only last for a specific length of time, that any extension of the break is contrary to the employer's rules, and any extension of the break will be punished. Bona fide meal periods (typically lasting at least 30 minutes), serve a different purpose than coffee or snack breaks and, thus, are not work time and are not compensable.
http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/workhours/breaks.htm

Yes, they can require you to take a mandatory hour break. If they want to schedule your shift with an hour gap in the middle, they can. You certainly have every right to find a different job. Read the laws from the links I listed, instead of taking the wrong advice of people on this site.

Answer 3

Yes there is a federal law stating that employers must give employees breaks. For a full time employee it is generally 2 10 minute breaks and a lunch. Employers will usually enforce this to also cut down on hours worked per employee

Answer 4

Presidents of companies have lengthy gone to penitentiary for issues their workers have finished that the President/CEO became no longer attentive to. at the same time as Bush became in workplace liberals needed him to be held to blame for the moves of all authorities workers, even man or woman troops. My question for you'd be why might want to Obama be held to a unique popular than Bush or everybody else?

Answer 5

You live in a "right to work" state. That means you can work for anyone you like. If you don't like your current employers rules, quit, and look for another job. Or look, find and then quit.