Illinois
What is the meal break rule for Illinois?
For Illinois, meal break rule is Every employer shall permit its employees who are to work for 7 1/2 continuous hours, except those specified in this Section, at least 20 minutes for a meal period beginning no later than 5 hours after the start of the work period; statute or regulation is 820 ILCS 140/3, recorded from its source on 2026-09-02.
Every employer shall permit its employees who are to work for 7 1/2 continuous hours, except those specified in this Section, at least 20 minutes for a meal period beginning no later than 5 hours after the start of the work period. An employee who works in excess of 7 1/2 continuous hours shall be entitled to an additional 20-minute meal period for every additional 4 1/2 continuous hours worked.
— ilga.gov, retrieved 2026-09-02
- State
- Illinois our reading
- Meal break rule
- Every employer shall permit its employees who are to work for 7 1/2 continuous hours, except those specified in this Section, at least 20 minutes for a meal period beginning no later than 5 hours after the start of the work period verified
- Statute or regulation
- 820 ILCS 140/3 our reading
Values marked our reading are our classification of what the source says — the source does not print them in those words. The quote below is the evidence for each one; judge it yourself.
Where each value comes from
This source states these in separate places, so each value is shown with the passage that states it.
Meal break rule
Every employer shall permit its employees who are to work for 7 1/2 continuous hours, except those specified in this Section, at least 20 minutes for a meal period beginning no later than 5 hours after the start of the work period. An employee who works in excess of 7 1/2 continuous hours shall be entitled to an additional 20-minute meal period for every additional 4 1/2 continuous hours worked.
Statute or regulation
(820 ILCS 140/3) (from Ch. 48, par. 8c)
— all from ilga.gov, retrieved 2026-09-02
Source
- ilga.govhttps://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=082001400K3