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Kentucky Meal Break Requirements
activeKentucky requires employers to provide employees with a reasonable meal break of at least 20 minutes duration between the third and fifth hour of work for any employee scheduled to work 5 or more consecutive hours. The meal break is unpaid if the employee is completely relieved of all duties.
Applicability
Requirements
- Meal Period
- Trigger Hours
- 5
- Duration Minutes
- 20
- Timing
- Must be provided between the third and fifth hour of work.
- Duty Free
- Yes
- Description
- A reasonable meal period of no less than 20 minutes must be provided between the third and fifth hour of the work period for employees who work 5 or more consecutive hours.
- Reasonable Proximity
- Description
- The meal period must be provided at a reasonably close time to the middle of the scheduled work period, specifically between the third and fifth hour.
Penalties
Employers who fail to provide required meal breaks may be subject to enforcement action by the Kentucky Labor Cabinet. Employees may file complaints for violations.
Statute of limitations: 5 years
Notes
Kentucky is one of the few states that specifies both a minimum duration for the meal break (20 minutes) and a specific window during which it must be provided (between the third and fifth hour). The timing requirement is more prescriptive than most states.