Louisiana's Lunch Break Labor Laws

• Louisiana law does not require employers to give lunch breaks to adult workers.Louisiana state contour against blurred USA flag image by Stasys Eidiejus from Fotolia.com
  
  Neither federal law nor Louisiana state law requires private employers to provide adult workers with lunch periods, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. However, Louisiana state law does require companies to provide lunch breaks to one particular class of workers--minors. Workers besides minors must either bargain for the benefit or rely upon the generosity of their employers.
  
  

Federal Regulations

• Federal regulations will apply if companies provide lunch breaks to employees. The Code of Federal Regulations at 29 C.F.R. 785.19 provides that bona fide lunch breaks of 30 minutes or more will not count as work time as long as the employer does not require the employee to perform any job duties during the break. Companies requiring employees to eat lunch at their desks or work stations are not providing bona fide lunch breaks and must pay workers for that time.
  
  

Louisiana Law

• The Louisiana Workforce Commission's website cites no state law requiring companies to give lunch breaks to workers. The U.S. Department of Labor lists Louisiana as a state requiring lunch breaks only for minor workers.
  
  

Minor Employees

• Louisiana Revised Statute 23 Section 213 requires employers to give 30-minute lunch breaks to minor employees working shifts of five hours or more.