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The Global Insight

What are breaks in employment?

Author

James Williams

Updated on March 22, 2026

Rest breaks at work. Workers have the right to one uninterrupted 20 minute rest break during their working day, if they work more than 6 hours a day. This could be a tea or lunch break. The break doesn’t have to be paid – it depends on their employment contract.

How do I explain gaps in my employment history?

Here are a few ways you can explain (or hide) gaps in employment:

  1. List years instead of months for previous positions. (e.g. “2014-2016”).
  2. If your gaps are longer or more frequent, considering providing a brief note on the resume listing your reason for the gap in employment. Just list it like any other job.

Can I work 6 hours without a break?

If you’re aged 18 or over and work for more than 6 hours a day, you’re entitled to: an uninterrupted rest break of at least 20 minutes, taken during the day rather than at the beginning or end (eg tea or lunch break)

How long are you legally allowed to work without a break?

Breaks during the working day An employee has the right to an uninterrupted break of at least 20 minutes if they work more than 6 hours in a day. The employee has the right to take this break: away from their workstation (for example, away from their desk) at a time that’s not the very start or end of the working day.

How long do you have to take a break at work?

There are different types of breaks, and depending on the length and the employer’s policies, the break may or may not be paid. Meal breaks, tea breaks, coffee breaks, or lunch breaks usually range from ten minutes to one hour. Their purpose is to allow the employee to have a meal that is regularly scheduled during the work day.

When did people stop taking lunch breaks at work?

When the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act were finally set in place in 1945, such abuses were outlawed. According to a study, the amount of time people are taking for lunch breaks in the United States is shrinking, thereby making the term “lunch hour” a misnomer.

How many years should I put in my employment history?

A common question jobseekers ask when writing their employment history section is ‘How far back should I go?’ Ideally, you should only list jobs from the past 10, 15 years max. That’s not to say you should blank out 20 years from a job you held for the past 30 years.

When was it illegal to work without a break?

During this time it was not unusual for companies to work their employees for long hours without a break and to pay them minuscule wages. When the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act were finally set in place in 1945, such abuses were outlawed.