State laws (statutes and regulations) generally govern the number and length of breaks and meal periods employers must provide employees—usually based on the number of consecutive hours the employee has worked that day. These laws vary from state to state and many states have separate provisions requiring meal periods specifically for minors (when minors are covered by two provisions, employer must observe the higher standard).

Federal law does not require lunch or coffee breaks for employees, but if employers do offer short breaks (usually lasting about 5 to 20 minutes) federal law considers the breaks compensable work hours that must be included in the number of hours worked when calculating overtime pay. Unauthorized extensions of authorized work breaks need not be counted as hours worked when the employer has expressly and unambiguously communicated to the employee that the authorized break may only last for a specific length of time, that any extension of the break is contrary to the employer's rules, and that any extension of the break will be punished. Bona fide meal periods (typically lasting at least 30 minutes) serve a different purpose than coffee or snack breaks, are not work time, and are not compensable.

In Colorado, state law requires employers to provide a 30-minute meal break for shifts exceeding five consecutive hours. If the nature of the job prevents an employee from taking an uninterrupted meal break, the employee must be permitted to consume an on-duty meal while working, and this time must be compensated. Additionally, Colorado mandates a paid 10-minute rest break for every four hours of work, or major fractions thereof, which should be provided as close to the middle of the work period as possible. For minors, Colorado law stipulates that employees under the age of 18 must receive a 30-minute meal period if they work more than five consecutive hours. Employers must adhere to the more stringent standard when both general and minor-specific provisions apply. Federal law complements these regulations by requiring that short breaks (5 to 20 minutes) be counted as compensable work hours, while bona fide meal periods (at least 30 minutes) are not considered work time and are not paid, unless the employee is required to work during the meal period.