Oregon break schedule by shift length
BOLI publishes the following break schedule derived from OAR 839-020-0050 Appendix A. The key boundary points are shifts under 2 hours (no breaks), 6 hours (first meal period owed), and multiples of 4 hours (additional rest breaks):
| Shift length | Paid rest breaks (10 min each) | Unpaid meal periods (30 min each) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 hrs or less | 0 | 0 |
| 2 hrs 1 min - 5 hrs 59 min | 1 | 0 |
| 6 hrs | 1 | 1 |
| 6 hrs 1 min - 10 hrs | 2 | 1 |
| 10 hrs 1 min - 13 hrs 59 min | 3 | 1 |
| 14 hrs | 3 | 2 |
| 14 hrs 1 min - 18 hrs | 4 | 2 |
| 18 hrs 1 min - 21 hrs 59 min | 5 | 2 |
| 22 hrs | 5 | 3 |
| 22 hrs 1 min - 24 hrs | 6 | 3 |
Paid rest breaks — the rule from the regulation
OAR 839-020-0050 states verbatim: "every employer shall provide to each employee, for each segment of four hours or major part thereof worked in a work period, a rest period of not less than ten continuous minutes during which the employee is relieved of all duties, without deduction from the employee's pay."
"Major part of four hours" means more than two hours — so a 2-hour 1-minute segment counts toward earning the rest break for that segment. Rest periods are scheduled during the shift, not at the beginning or end.
Meal periods — unpaid unless on duty
OAR 839-020-0050 states: "every employer shall provide to each employee, for each work period of not less than six or more than eight hours, a meal period of not less than 30 continuous minutes during which the employee is relieved of all duties."
Meal periods are unpaid — but if the employer requires the employee to remain on duty or available, the employer must pay for the entire 30-minute period. This on-duty meal period rule protects workers in jobs where coverage cannot be interrupted (e.g. single-person shifts).
How Oregon compares: Alaska and Hawaii
Oregon's adult break mandate is notably stronger than two neighboring states. Alaska imposes no meal or rest break requirement for adult employees — the Alaska DOLWD Wage and Hour FAQ states directly: "Employers are not required to give breaks for employees 18 and over." Hawaii similarly imposes no adult break mandate; the DLIR states there "is no law that requires rest or meal [breaks for other employees]." Oregon's rule covers all adult employees under BOLI's administrative code.
What this does not determine
- Whether an industry-specific or collective-bargaining exception applies.
- Whether rest periods were properly scheduled (not combined, not at the start or end of shift).
- Whether a meal period was truly duty-free, and therefore whether it must be paid.
- Remedies for missed breaks — filing a wage claim with BOLI is the appropriate next step.
Sources and verification
Break rules come from the actual administrative rule text athttps://oregon.public.law/rules/oar_839-020-0050 (OAR 839-020-0050), confirmed against the BOLI meals and breaks guidance atoregon.gov/boli/workers/pages/meals-and-breaks.aspx. The break schedule table reflects BOLI's published shift-length schedule, which represents the requirements under OAR 839-020-0050 Appendix A.