Employees must be afforded reasonable bathroom breaks. The One Day Rest in Seven Act, as its name implies, allows for at least 24 hours of rest every seven consecutive days.Workers have a right to at least a 30minute meal break or each 6 hours worked in a calendar day. Employers in NYS must provide certain employees with at least 24 consecutive hours of rest in any calendar week. 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. An employer must grant 20 minutes of rest for employees who work six consecutive hours or more. Employees who cannot afford breaks may eat while working. Federal law doesn't require meal breaks, but Illinois law does. Both federal and state laws govern wages and hours.