In South Carolina, no law gives employees the right to time off to eat lunch (or another meal) or the right to take short breaks during the work day. If an employer provides rest breaks of 5 to 20 minutes, they must count it as worked time and compensate the employee.South Carolina has no laws in place regarding breaks. Instead, the state defers to federal law regarding the provision of meal and rest breaks to employees. There is no requirement under South Carolina law for an employer to provide employees with breaks or a lunch period. Short rest breaks, which usually 20 minutes or less, must be paid as work time. Although breaks are not required, employers must pay employees for time they spend working and for shorter breaks during the day. South Carolina labor laws do not mandate employers to provide breaks or meal periods to employees. Workers have a right to at least a 30minute meal break or each 6 hours worked in a calendar day. Fill out this contact form to request training or technical assistance for your community.