Meal and rest breaks · Federal
Federal meal and rest break rules.
How long a break Federal employees must get and how soon in a shift. Enter your shift length to see how many breaks are required.
Federally regulated workplaces: an unpaid break of at least 30 minutes during every period of 5 consecutive hours of work, taken in one block.
Your situation
Breaks required on your shift
Enter your shift length and press Calculate.
Federal: meal and rest breaks rules in detail
| Point | What the source says |
|---|---|
| Break | At least 30 minutes during every 5 consecutive hours of work, in 1 period |
| Paid? | Unpaid, but compensated if the employee must stay available during it |
| Rest between shifts | Unpaid rest of at least 8 consecutive hours between shifts or work periods |
| Medical and nursing breaks | Unpaid breaks necessary for medical reasons or to nurse or express milk |
Notes on this rule
Managers and certain professionals are excluded, and the break can be postponed or cancelled for unforeseeable situations that pose imminent or serious threats.
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: Canada.ca - Breaks and rest period, federally regulated workplaces.
Frequently asked questions
How many breaks does a Federal employee get in a shift?
Federally regulated workplaces: an unpaid break of at least 30 minutes during every period of 5 consecutive hours of work, taken in one block.
Is the break paid?
Unpaid, but compensated if the employee must stay available during it
Do coffee or short rest breaks have to be given?
The federal rule is the 30-minute break plus at least 8 consecutive hours of rest between shifts; it does not separately require short coffee breaks.
When can an employer skip the break?
Managers and certain professionals are excluded, and the break can be postponed or cancelled for unforeseeable situations that pose imminent or serious threats.
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 Federal information come from?
Every figure on this page was read on 19 October 2026 from: Canada.ca - Breaks and rest period, federally regulated workplaces. 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.