Colorado meal and rest break laws

Waivers and exceptions

If work makes an uninterrupted meal break impractical, employees must be allowed to eat on duty on paid time. Employees may skip rest breaks only voluntarily. Exempt executives and supervisors are not covered. Source: cdle.colorado.gov↗ (opens in a new tab)

Industry-specific rules

Agricultural employees get the same rest and meal periods as other employees. Shorter alternate rest schedules are allowed under certain agreements, union contracts or Medicaid home care. Source: cdle.colorado.gov↗ (opens in a new tab)

Penalties

Each missed 10-minute rest break must be paid as extra work time (time-and-a-half if in overtime hours); fines may also apply under C.R.S. § 8-1-140(2). Source: cdle.colorado.gov↗ (opens in a new tab)

Recent changes

A new COMPS Order took effect January 1, 2026; its meal and rest break rules stay the same (30-minute meal over 5 hours, paid 10-minute rest per 4 hours). Source: cdle.colorado.gov↗ (opens in a new tab)

The law and where to check

The law: Colorado Overtime and Minimum Pay Standards (COMPS) Order, 7 CCR 1103-1, Rules 5.1-5.2; C.R.S. § 8-13.5-104 (lactation) (opens in a new tab)

The agency: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics (opens in a new tab)

What federal law says

Federal law does not require meal or rest breaks. If you give short breaks (about 5 to 20 minutes), they must be paid. Meal periods of 30 minutes or more can be unpaid if the employee is fully relieved of duty. Nursing employees get reasonable break time under the federal PUMP Act. Source: U.S. Department of Labor↗ (opens in a new tab) Source: U.S. DOL — PUMP Act↗ (opens in a new tab)

Meal and rest breaks checklist for Colorado employers

A simple order of work, based on the rules above. It is not a legal checklist.

1. Check which of your staff the break rules above cover, including minors.
2. Build required meal and rest breaks into your schedules.
3. Decide which breaks are paid and record them correctly in your timekeeping.
4. Set up a private, non-bathroom space for nursing employees.
5. Put your break policy in writing and share it with staff.
6. Keep time records that show breaks were taken.

More Colorado employment law guides

• All Colorado employment laws
• Colorado final paycheck law
• Colorado paid sick leave law
• Colorado overtime law
• Colorado pay frequency law
• Colorado vacation and PTO payout law
• Colorado new hire reporting
• Colorado at-will exceptions

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Disclaimer: This guide provides general information based on publicly available official sources and is for information only. It is not legal, tax, payroll or employment-law advice and does not guarantee compliance with federal, state or local requirements. Rules can depend on your location, industry, contracts and other circumstances, and laws change. Always check the official source, the relevant government agency or a qualified professional before making a decision. MadyHR.ai accepts no responsibility for any action taken based on this page.

Last checked: October 19, 2026. Every rule and source link on this page was checked against the official government source on this date. Laws change, so always open the source link before you act.