Must you allow lunch breaks for your staff? According to the New York State Department of Labor, Lunch breaks must be given to staff.

The length of the required break depends on the industry and shift:

• Factory employees are entitled to a one-hour break between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• Mercantile employees and all other employees covered by New York’s labor laws are entitled to a 30-minute break between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• If an employee’s shift starts before 11 a.m. and ends after 7 p.m., the employee is entitled to an additional 20-minute break between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• If an employee works a shift of more than six hours that starts between 1 p.m. and 6 a.m., the employee is entitled to a meal break in the middle of the shift. Factory employees get a one-hour break; mercantile and other employees covered by the labor laws get a 45-minute break.