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 Oregon, state laws require employers to provide meal and rest periods for employees. Employees who work six to eight hours must receive one 30-minute unpaid meal period, and for those working more than eight hours, an additional 30-minute meal period is required. Additionally, employees are entitled to paid 10-minute rest breaks for every segment of four hours worked. For minors, Oregon law mandates a 30-minute meal period for those working six hours or more, and rest breaks of 15 minutes for every four hours worked. Employers must adhere to these regulations, and failure to do so can result in penalties. While federal law does not mandate meal or coffee breaks, it does require that short breaks, if provided, be counted as compensable work hours for the purposes of calculating overtime. However, bona fide meal periods of at least 30 minutes are not considered work time and are not compensable under federal law.