However, the business must have guidelines explaining how long breaks should last. Break area must be provided with adequate seating and tables in a clean and comfortable environment. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require business owners to offer lunch or rest breaks to employees. One of the most common problems, Rotman elaborates, occurs when employers enable automatic deductions for lunch breaks without giving the employee any manner of editing that time if they happen to work through lunch.. Pracownia Jubilerki Meal Break: Wisconsin recommends (but does not require) a meal break of 30 minutes close to a usual meal time or near the middle of a shift. Different requirements apply to employees who monitor individuals with developmental disabilities and/or mental illness and certain private employees licensed under the Emergency Medical Services Systems Act.