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The absence of any break law in Indiana means employers can make employees work any number of hours daily with no break. Employees who want to work at such a business must accept the employer #039;s conditions. Employers may decide to offer rest periods for the sake of improving worker efficiency or to be competitive in hiring with other businesses.

Indiana employees who are part of a labor union may get the right to daily break periods as part of the union #039;s collective bargaining agreement with the employer. Along with wages and other issues relating to the length and format of the workday, break periods are typically a primary consideration for collective bargaining agents.

Under federal rules, airline pilots, truck drivers and bus drivers must receive rest periods after working a certain number of hours consecutively. If you work in one of these fields for a company that is based in Indiana, that employer must adhere to the federal regulations. For example, pilots must receive eight hours of rest in the 24 hours leading up to a flight.

No federal law mandates rest or meal periods during most people #039;s workdays, thus leaving it to each state to decide whether to implement such laws. There are a few exceptions, and Indiana employers must follow the federal law in those instances. Employers must allow nursing mothers to take unpaid break periods to feed their newborns. If the company has fewer than 50 employees, it can apply for an exemption but must prove undue hardship.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has ruled that all employers must make bathroom facilities available to all employees and must allow workers to use the facilities within reason. If an employee in Indiana or any other state feels an employer is not living up to this standard, he can appeal to the OHSA #039;s compliance office.