Rest Breaks
Department heads and supervisors are encouraged to permit reasonable rest periods during the workday if operationally feasible. A reasonable rest period should not exceed a 15‑minute break during each half day of work.
Rest periods should be taken at a time and in a manner that does not interfere with the efficiency of the department. When more than one employee is assigned to a work area, breaks should be arranged so that work areas are not left unattended.
The rest period is intended to be preceded and followed by a work period. It cannot be used to cover late arrivals or early departures from work, and rest periods do not accumulate if not taken.
Rest breaks are considered work time and are paid. Supervisors should schedule rest breaks in a way that supports workflow while allowing employees reasonable opportunities to step away from their duties.
Meal Breaks
The University encourages employees to take a minimum 30-minute unpaid meal break when scheduled to work six or more consecutive hours. Meal breaks are intended to be uninterrupted periods during which the employee is fully relieved of all duties.
Supervisors are encouraged to schedule meal breaks whenever operationally feasible and to communicate expectations clearly within their departments.
The University recognizes that certain roles or unexpected operational demands may occasionally prevent an uninterrupted meal break. When an employee is not fully relieved of duties, the meal period must be recorded as paid time. Hourly (non‑exempt) employees must be compensated for all time worked, including any portion of a meal break during which work is performed.
Employee Responsibilities
Employees are responsible for:
- Communicating promptly, and in advance when possible, with supervisors when operational needs prevent a rest break or meal period from being taken.
- Promptly and accurately report any missed or interrupted meal break so that time worked can be correctly recorded and paid.
Supervisor Responsibilities
Supervisors are responsible for:
- Scheduling rest and meal breaks in alignment with operational needs and staffing levels.
- Ensuring hourly employees are fully relieved of duties during unpaid meal periods. If an employee cannot be fully relieved, supervisors must ensure the employee accurately records the meal period as working time on the timesheet.
- Monitoring compliance with federal and state wage and hour laws.
- Ensuring accurate timekeeping when meal breaks are missed, shortened, or interrupted, and ensuring direct reports record such time as worked time.
- Communicating expectations clearly and addressing operational constraints proactively.
Youth Employment Compliance
Employees under age 18 must receive breaks in accordance with Indiana youth employment laws, which may require additional or longer breaks.