Worker Rights and Support Act

The Worker Rights and Support Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to establish new federal requirements for employee breaks. It mandates that employers provide a 30-minute meal break for every six hours of work, which is generally unpaid unless the employee is not fully relieved of all duties, in which case it must be compensated at one and a half times their regular rate. Employers cannot compel employees to waive these meal breaks. Additionally, the bill requires employers to provide paid rest and restroom breaks , specifying either 10 minutes or a reasonable time for restroom use during each four-hour work period. Employees are also entitled to paid medical breaks , not exceeding 20 minutes each, for conditions communicated by a healthcare provider. All paid break times are considered as hours worked under the Act. These new federal standards do not supersede any provisions in existing collective bargaining agreements or preempt any State laws that offer greater protections to employees. The bill also strengthens enforcement mechanisms under the FLSA, making violations of these break requirements subject to legal and equitable relief for affected employees and extending the statute of limitations for such claims.