Is it legal for my boss to make me work during lunch?
This question is not answered in every state. Each state has its labor laws, and each has its considerations about pay and working hours. Ohio Employers are not required to offer any break for employees older than 18, and a Cincinnati employment lawyer can access this knowledge. (Lunch breaks are needed for workers under 18 years of age and those over 16 years.
The answer is yes, as no breaks are necessary. You can work all day, but your boss can also make it impossible for you to take any lunch break.
What if I do have a lunch break?
Are you taking longer than 20 minutes to eat lunch? If you do, you will not receive payment for your lunchtime. Your employer must pay you for any breaks that last less than 20 minutes.
But a lunch hour? A lunch hour or a half-hour? These are your time, and they are not paid. Each employer must agree upon a paid break. This will be stated near the beginning of employment. Some jobs require regular intervals while others don’t. The work shifts and hours worked vary depending on the job and employer.
Every Ohio workplace handles negotiations about breaks and the possible payment of such leaves separately. A holiday can be included informally in many places, and an employer may not require workers to clock out and clock in for short breaks. “Smoke breaks” were included in the past, regardless of whether workers smoked cigarettes.