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 South Carolina, there are no state laws that require employers to provide adults with breaks or meal periods, regardless of the length of their workday. Employers are free to implement their own policies regarding breaks and meal periods for adult employees. However, for minors under the age of 18, South Carolina law mandates a 30-minute meal break if they work more than five consecutive hours. This is in accordance with the South Carolina Child Labor Laws. As for federal law, while it does not require employers to provide lunch or coffee breaks, any short breaks offered (usually lasting about 5 to 20 minutes) are considered compensable work hours. These must be included in the total hours worked for the purposes of calculating overtime. Meal periods, on the other hand, are typically at least 30 minutes long, are not considered work time, and thus are not compensable. Employers must clearly communicate the rules regarding the duration of breaks to ensure that any unauthorized extensions are not counted as work time.