How many rest breaks is a Nevada employee entitled to?

Under NRS 608.019, Nevada employees are entitled to one paid 10-minute rest break for each four-hour period (or major fraction thereof) worked in a day.

When is a meal break required in Nevada?

Nevada law (NRS 608.019) requires at least one unpaid 30-minute meal period for each eight consecutive hours worked. Unlike the rest break, the meal period is unpaid if the employee is completely relieved of duties.

Are Nevada rest breaks paid?

Yes. Nevada's 10-minute rest breaks required under NRS 608.019 must be paid. The unpaid meal period (30 minutes per 8-hour shift) is a separate entitlement.

Does Nevada law require a premium for a missed break?

Nevada law does not provide a premium-pay remedy for a missed break in the same way California does. Employees with missed breaks may file a wage claim with the Nevada Labor Commissioner. See nv.gov/labor for the claim process.

State

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Nevada requires one paid 10-minute rest break per four hours worked and one unpaid 30-minute meal period per eight consecutive hours, effective statewide under NRS 608.019. — Source: Nevada Labor Commissioner FAQ

Nevada break requirements

Nevada Meal and Rest Break Requirements

Nevada Revised Statutes § 608.019 entitles employees to at least one paid 10-minute rest break for every four hours worked and at least one unpaid 30-minute meal period for every eight consecutive hours worked. Enter your shift length to see how many breaks apply.

Scope: This tool counts required break periods based on hours worked. It does not determine whether breaks were actually provided, compliant, compensable, or whether an exemption applies to your employer or job type.

Enter your shift hours

The Nevada break rules

NRS 608.019 establishes two distinct break types. Rest breaks of at least 10 minutes are required for each four-hour period or major fraction thereof. These breaks are paid — they count as time worked. Meal periods of at least 30 minutes are required for each eight consecutive hours worked. Meal periods are unpaid if the employee is completely relieved of all duties.

Entitlement formula

Rest breaks = floor(hours worked ÷ 4) Meal periods = floor(hours worked ÷ 8)

Worked example

Ten-hour shift

Hours worked = 10 Rest breaks = floor(10 ÷ 4) = 2 paid 10-min breaks Meal periods = floor(10 ÷ 8) = 1 unpaid 30-min meal

Meal break vs. rest break — key distinctions

Nevada treats the two break types differently under NRS 608.019. The 10-minute rest break must be paid and counted as time worked. The 30-minute meal period is compensable only if the employee is not completely relieved of duties — for example, if they must remain on call or at their station. Employers who require employees to remain on duty during a meal break must pay for that time.

No premium-pay remedy unlike California

Nevada does not provide an automatic premium-pay remedy for a missed break. California's "one hour of pay" penalty for each missed break (Lab. Code § 226.7) is a California-specific rule and does not apply in Nevada. An employee with unprovided or interrupted breaks may file a wage claim with the Nevada Labor Commissioner. The claim process is described on the Nevada Labor Commissioner website.

What this does not determine

Whether actual breaks provided were compliant in timing, duration, or freedom from duties.
Whether your employer, industry, or job classification is exempt from NRS 608.019.
Whether a collective-bargaining agreement or employer policy provides more generous breaks.
Whether an on-duty meal-period agreement was lawfully established.
Overtime, final paycheck, or other wage rights under NRS Chapter 608.

Sources and verification

Break requirements are drawn from NRS 608.019 (Nevada Legislature) and the Nevada Labor Commissioner FAQ for Employers. Nevada has no separate rest-break premium statute. The Labor Commissioner enforces NRS Chapter 608 wage and hour claims.