Massachusetts break, overtime and sick leave rules
Meal and rest breaks, overtime and paid sick leave in Massachusetts, in plain words. Last reviewed October 31, 2026. Not legal advice.
The rules in Massachusetts#
- Meal breaks
- At least a 30‑minute meal break for each 6 hours worked in a day, free of all duties and free to leave the workplace. Certain industries are excluded.
- Rest breaks
- No general paid rest break rule for adults.
- Overtime
- 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek. No daily overtime, double time or seventh‑day rule.
- Paid sick leave
- Employees earn at least 1 hour per 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year. Employers with 11 or more employees must pay for it; smaller employers must provide it unpaid.
How Oh! Thyme handles Massachusetts#
Oh! Thyme runs a company in Massachusetts on the federal rules. On every shift it checks:
- Overtime after 40 hours in a workweek, worked out week by week
- Every punch and break, to the minute
- Sick leave balances build from approved hours at the rate set for each person, such as 1 hour per 30 worked, stop at their cap, and come down when time off is approved.
Not checked in Massachusetts: its meal break rules. The break times are on every timesheet for a supervisor to see; tell us at support@ohthyme.com if your company needs them checked.
Read next#
- Meal and rest break laws by stateWhich states require meal or rest breaks for adults, when, and which ones attach a pay penalty.
- Semi-monthly pay periods and weekly overtimeWhy overtime is counted by workweek even when pay periods run the 1st to the 15th.
Sources#
- Mass.gov: Earned Sick Time
- US DOL Wage and Hour Division: Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector
- US DOL Wage and Hour Division: Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements Under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector
- US DOL Wage and Hour Division: State Minimum Wage Laws (overtime premium pay notes)