Bill would require meal breaks for Missouri employees
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri employees are currently not entitled to a meal break or a lunch hour under state law. A new bill aims to change that.
Missouri State Rep. Kevin Windham Jr. (D-St. Louis County) recently introduced HB 2856. The bill would require all employers to offer their employees a “meal period” of at least 30 minutes per eight-hour shift.
Former Missouri child brides call for outlawing marriages of minors
According to the Missouri Department of Labor, employee breaks “of any kind” are not required by state law, leaving breaks and meal periods up to the discretion of employers.
The bill would require a period of time in the middle of a workday “for the purpose of permitting employees to eat or engage in permitted personal activities,” according to its language.
There would be some exceptions under the bill’s current version. It would not automatically apply to certain employees covered through collective bargaining agreements and in continuous operations, like public safety roles.
Thanks for signing up!
Watch for us in your inbox.
Subscribe Now
Daily News
If signed into law, eligible employers who don’t offer the breaks would be fined anywhere from $300 to $1,200 per violation.
The bill has had two readings on the Missouri Senate floor but has not yet been assigned to a committee.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
