An additional 20-minute meal break must be permitted if working a 12-hour shift or longer. If an employee works through a meal break, they must be paid.Illinois employers must provide a meal break to employees who work at least seven and a half continuous hours. This break must be at least 20 minutes long. For every 7.5 hours worked, Illinois state law allows one meal break to be taken no later than 5 hours from the start of the shift. In Illinois, employees are entitled to a 10minute paid rest break for every 4 hours of work they complete. Federal law doesn't require meal breaks, but Illinois law does. Workers have a right to at least a 30minute meal break or each 6 hours worked in a calendar day. Illinois law doesn't require employers to give their employees 30-minute meal breaks. Employers operating in Illinois: You will be required to provide additional rest and meal breaks to most nonexempt employees.