Articles

Texas break, overtime and sick leave rules

Meal and rest breaks, overtime and paid sick leave in Texas, in plain words. Last reviewed October 31, 2026. Not legal advice.

The rules in Texas#

Meal breaks
No general meal break rule for adults.
Rest breaks
No general paid rest break rule for adults.
Overtime
No state overtime law of its own; overtime for covered employees follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) (1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek).
Paid sick leave
No statewide paid sick leave law.

How Oh! Thyme handles Texas#

Texas adds no break or overtime rules of its own, so the federal rules are the whole of it. On every shift Oh! Thyme 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.

Try it with sample data

Sources#

  1. Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Guidebook for Employers: D. Breaks
  2. Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Guidebook for Employers: Fair Labor Standards Act, What It Does and Does Not Do
  3. US DOL Wage and Hour Division: Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector
  4. US DOL Wage and Hour Division: Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements Under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector
  5. US DOL Wage and Hour Division: State Minimum Wage Laws (overtime premium pay notes)
  6. A Better Balance: Paid Sick Time Legislative Successes (list of statewide laws)