HR Compliance

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Hawaii Meal Break Requirements

active

Hawaii requires employers to provide a 45-minute meal break to employees who work shifts of at least 5 consecutive hours. A 30-minute meal break may be permitted if there is a collective bargaining agreement in place. The meal break must be duty-free and may be unpaid.

Jurisdiction
HI (state)
Law Type
Meal Breaks
Status
active
Citation
HRS § 387-7
Effective Date
1975-01-01
Last Verified
2026-01-15
Record Updated
2026-01-15

Applicability

Employee Types
non-exempt
Age Groups
adult, 16-17, 14-15

Requirements

Meal Period
Trigger Hours
5
Duration Minutes
45
Timing
Must be provided during shifts of 5 or more consecutive hours.
Duty Free
Yes
Paid
No
Description
A 45-minute meal break is required for employees working shifts of at least 5 consecutive hours. A union agreement may reduce the break to 30 minutes.
Union Exception
Description
Where a collective bargaining agreement is in effect, the meal break may be reduced to 30 minutes.

Penalties

Employers who fail to provide the required meal break may be subject to enforcement action by the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

Notes

Hawaii's 45-minute default meal break is one of the longest state-mandated meal breaks in the United States. The 30-minute reduction is only available through a collective bargaining agreement, not through individual employee consent.

Sources