Utah Employment Law

The Fair Labor Standards Act defines the workweek as a fixed and recurring period of 168 hours comprised of seven consecutive 24-hour periods that do not need to coincide with the calendar week. It is adjustable only if the change is designed to be permanent. Each week is considered on its own for purposes of calculating overtime. The hours of two or more weeks may not be averaged.

Utah has no general provision governing overtime pay, but most employees would be subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, which requires that all work in excess of 40 hours per week be paid at a rate of 1.5 times the employee’s regular rate of pay.

There are no state or federal laws that require an employer to provide lunch breaks or rest periods for adult workers. Most employers in the interest of efficiency and good employee relations will establish a policy governing leave and break periods. Minors under the age of 18 are entitled to a meal period of at least 30 minutes not later than five hours from the beginning of their shift. A rest break is required for minors of at least 10 minutes for every three-hour period or part thereof that is worked.

Breast Feeding Break

The FLSA requires employers to provide reasonable break time for a nursing mother employee who is subject to the FLSA’s overtime requirements in order for the employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for one year after the child’s birth each time such employee has a need to express breast milk. Employers are also required to provide a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by the employee to express breast milk.