Last verified October 26, 2026 · How we verify
Michigan break laws
Michigan sets no break rules of its own. What federal law still requires, how overtime and teen work hours are limited in Michigan, and where to complain.
Michigan sets no break rules of its own. What federal law still requires, how overtime and teen work hours are limited in Michigan, and where to complain.
Michigan has no state law requiring meal or rest breaks for adult workers, so breaks are up to your employer. Federal pay rules still apply to any break you do get. Overtime is due after 40 hours in a workweek; there is no daily overtime.
No Michigan law requires meal breaks for adult employees.
“There are no requirements for breaks, meal or rest periods for employees 18 years of age or older.”
Verified October 26, 2026 · Source: Michigan LEO, Breaks, meal and rest periods FAQ
No Michigan law requires rest breaks for adult employees.
“There are no requirements for breaks, meal or rest periods for employees 18 years of age or older.”
Verified October 26, 2026 · Source: Michigan LEO, Breaks, meal and rest periods FAQ
Non-exempt employees must be paid 1.5 times their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a 7-day workweek. Michigan has no daily overtime rule.
“Nonexempt employees should be paid 1-1/2 times their regular rate of pay for hours worked over 40 in a 7-day workweek.”
Verified October 26, 2026 · Source: Michigan LEO, Minimum Wage and Overtime FAQ
Federal law does not require meal or rest breaks. Short breaks (about 5 to 20 minutes) that an employer gives count as paid work time; meal periods of 30 minutes or more can be unpaid if the employee is completely relieved of duty. More on the federal rules.
Nursing employees also have a federal right to reasonable unpaid break time and a private place, not a bathroom, to pump breast milk for one year after the birth. What the federal pump-break rule covers.
Rules for adult, non-exempt private-sector workers. Industry orders, union contracts, local laws and exemptions can change the answer. General reference, not legal advice.
Teen workers in Michigan have limits on how long and how late they can work. Where the Michigan and federal limits differ, the stricter one applies. Michigan is also one of 33 states with a separate meal-break rule for minors; when a teen is covered by both the adult and the minor rule, the employer must follow the higher standard (U.S. DOL). Ask the Michigan labor department for its details.
| Age | Hour limits | Can't work between |
|---|---|---|
| Under 16 (Michigan) | 40 non-school day/week School days and weeks: up to 3 hours a day and 18 a week | 7 p.m.(9 p.m. June 1 to Labor Day) to 7 a.m. |
| 16 and 17 (Michigan) | Non-school days and weeks: up to 10 hours a day and 48 a week 10/24 school day/week | 10:30 p.m. (11:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and during school vacations) to 6:30 a.m., if attending school. 11:30 p.m. to 6 a.m., if not attending school. |
| Under 16 (federal) | Non-school days and weeks: up to 8 hours a day and 40 a week School days and weeks: up to 3 hours a day and 18 a week | 7 p.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day) to 7 a.m. |
| 16 and 17 (federal) | No hour limits | No night limits |
Verified October 26, 2026 · Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Selected State Child Labor Standards Affecting Minors Under 18 in Non-farm Employment, as of July 15, 2025. School-day limits usually apply only to students.
Because Michigan has no break law, there is no state claim for a missed break itself. But if your employer deducts short breaks (5 to 20 minutes) from your pay, or you work through an unpaid lunch, that is unpaid work time under federal law. File a wage complaint with Michigan LEO Wage and Hour online at michigan.gov/wageclaim or on the paper form. Unpaid wage claims must be filed within 12 months; minimum wage or overtime complaints within 3 years. Official page ↗ Verified October 26, 2026
You can also call the federal Wage and Hour Division free at 1-866-487-9243. Firing or punishing you for a wage complaint is illegal.
Each payday you must get a pay statement you can keep, showing hours worked, gross wages, an itemized list of deductions and the dates the pay covers. Source ↗ Verified October 26, 2026
Paid break time counts as hours worked, at no less than Michigan's minimum wage of $13.73 an hour, rising to $15.00 on January 1, 2027. Michigan minimum wage details ↗ Keep your own record to compare: the time card calculator totals your week with Michigan's rules and saves a PDF.
| State | Meal break | Rest breaks | Overtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | None required | None required | Weekly, 40 h |
| Indiana | None required | None required | Weekly, 40 h |
| Ohio | None required | None required | Weekly, 40 h |
| Wisconsin | None required | None required | Weekly, 40 h |
See all 50 states and DC.
Every rule on this page was checked against the official source below; the quotes are verbatim and were found in the source on the date shown next to each rule. This page was last verified on October 26, 2026, the oldest of those dates. How we verify.