HR Compliance

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Oregon Meal Break Requirements

active

Oregon requires employers to provide a 30-minute unpaid meal break for work shifts of 6 or more hours. The meal break must be provided between the 2nd and 5th hour of the shift. An additional 30-minute meal break is required for shifts of 14 or more hours. The meal period is unpaid if the employee is completely relieved of duties.

Jurisdiction
OR (state)
Law Type
Meal Breaks
Status
active
Citation
ORS 653.261
Regulatory Citation
OAR 839-020-0050
Effective Date
1967-01-01
Last Amended
2023-01-01
Last Verified
2026-01-15
Record Updated
2026-01-15

Applicability

Employer Size
1+ employees
Employee Types
non-exempt
Age Groups
adult, 16-17, 14-15

Requirements

Meal Break Duration Minutes
30
Shift Length Trigger Hours
6
Earliest Start Hour
2
Latest Start Hour
5
Paid
No
Paid Conditions
The meal break is unpaid only when the employee is completely relieved of all duties. If the employee must remain on duty or on-call, the meal period must be paid as time worked.
On Duty Meal Period Allowed
Yes
On Duty Meal Period Conditions
On-duty meal periods are permitted only when the nature of the work prevents complete relief from duties, and must be paid as time worked.
Additional Meal Breaks
Second Meal Break Trigger Hours
14
Second Meal Break Duration Minutes
30
Description
An additional 30-minute meal break is required for shifts of 14 hours or more.
Waiver
Allowed
No
Note
Employees generally cannot waive their meal break. Limited exceptions exist for certain occupations.

Penalties

Employers who fail to provide required meal breaks may be liable for unpaid wages for the missed meal period and may face civil penalties from the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI).

Statute of limitations: 2 years

Notes

Oregon's meal break timing requirement (between the 2nd and 5th hour) is a notable restriction that requires careful scheduling. The 14-hour additional meal break provision is particularly relevant for industries with extended shifts such as healthcare, manufacturing, and emergency services. BOLI enforces these requirements and can investigate complaints.

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