Portland Attorney Discusses Oregon Meal Break Laws

In his byline article for Cascade Business News titled “No Free Lunches — Oregon Appellate Court Amends State Law on Lunch Breaks,” Portland Associate Alexander A. Wheatley looks at a November decision from the Oregon Court of Appeals that amends state law on lunch breaks. In Maza v. Waterford Operations, LLC, the court held that Oregon employers have a legal duty to ensure their employees take their full meal breaks; merely providing the opportunity to take the break is insufficient. 

Alex encourages employers to consider requiring employees to clock out for meal periods (if those periods are unpaid) and implementing systems prohibiting employees from clocking back in before the full 30 minutes has passed. While the decision places a new burden on employers, Alex explains its one that employers must undertake to avoid liability. 

To read the full article, visit Cascade Business News.