12 hour shifts? what about breaks?

jbanda

We are a Mgf. Co in Texas, we have always run 8 hour shifts with some overtime, our plant manager is thinking about starting 12 hour shifts in several depts., do we need to offer a paid break every 2 hours? are 2 breaks enough or do we have to offer more breaks? we currently get 2 10 min. breaks and a 40 min lunch, do I need to change our lunch periods?.

thanks

Theresa Gegen TX

Texas law does not require any specific break time.

The company needs to be guided by its own policy, what type of breaks will promote safety (this is a way the company could legally get in trouble, by not providing breaks, which leads to accidents), and what is fair to the employees.

Good Luck!

Pork

Somewhere in my life in this HR world I was taught that required meal/rest breaks must be set up for any 6 hour period of work. Thus, you can set up one required meal/rest break at 6 hours and you stop to go home to rest/meal break for the 2nd six hours. It is recommend but not required by Federal law that you have a 15 minite rest break every three hours. Which brings you to the standard 15 minute recommended and paid each morning and one 15 minute recommended and paid each afternoon and at least one 30 minute lunch break unpaid.