Meal and rest breaks · Alberta
Alberta meal and rest break rules.
How long a break Alberta employees must get and how soon in a shift. Enter your shift length to see how many breaks are required.
Alberta: no break on a shift of 5 hours or less, one 30-minute break on a longer shift, and two 30-minute breaks on shifts of 10 hours or more.
Your situation
Breaks required on your shift
Enter your shift length and press Calculate.
Alberta: meal and rest breaks rules in detail
| Point | What the source says |
|---|---|
| 5 hours or less | No break entitlement |
| More than 5 and under 10 hours | One 30-minute break, after the first 5 hours of work |
| 10 hours or more | Two 30-minute breaks |
| Paid? | Paid or unpaid at the employer’s discretion, but paid if the employer restricts activities, for example by banning leaving the premises |
| Splitting | With agreement, a break may be taken in 2 periods of at least 15 minutes |
Notes on this rule
Breaks need not be given if an accident occurs, urgent work is required, other unforeseeable circumstances arise, a collective agreement says otherwise, or it is not reasonable for the employee to take one (then it is paid).
How to use this page
Enter the hours you work in one shift, not counting unpaid breaks. The calculator applies the rule above to give the number of breaks required and the total minutes. It does not model collective agreements, exemptions or emergencies.
Sources, read directly 19 October 2026: Alberta.ca - Hours of work and rest.
Frequently asked questions
How many breaks does a Alberta employee get in a shift?
Alberta: no break on a shift of 5 hours or less, one 30-minute break on a longer shift, and two 30-minute breaks on shifts of 10 hours or more.
Is the break paid?
Paid or unpaid at the employer’s discretion, but paid if the employer restricts activities, for example by banning leaving the premises
Do coffee or short rest breaks have to be given?
The source read for this page states the meal or rest break rule shown above and does not add a separate entitlement to short coffee breaks.
When can an employer skip the break?
Breaks need not be given if an accident occurs, urgent work is required, other unforeseeable circumstances arise, a collective agreement says otherwise, or it is not reasonable for the employee to take one (then it is paid).
Can an employer or a contract give more than this?
Yes. These are statutory minimums. An employment contract, workplace policy or collective agreement can give more, but not less. Union members should check their collective agreement as well.
Where does this Alberta information come from?
Every figure on this page was read on 19 October 2026 from: Alberta.ca - Hours of work and rest. The links are listed under the rules table above. If a source changes, this page is regenerated from one data file and the verified date is updated.
Reference only — not legal advice
This page states the statutory meal and rest break entitlement from the published employment-standards legislation or the government’s own guide, read on 19 October 2026. It is not legal advice, does not model a collective agreement or an individual contract, and rules change. For a binding answer, contact the employment standards office named in the source or a lawyer.