The North Carolina Wage and Hour Act does not require mandatory rest breaks or meal breaks for employees 16 years of age or older. Workers have a right to at least a 30minute meal break or each 6 hours worked in a calendar day.State law requires paid breaks. The employee works through a break time (e.g. State law mandates that employees under 16 be given a 30 minute meal break if they have worked five hours or more. This may be an unpaid break. Neither federal nor North Carolina labor laws require employers to give employees rest or meal breaks if they are over the age of 16. Meal break: North Carolina requires a meal break for minors but does not mandate meal breaks for adult employees. If you are working fewer than 7.5 hours, no lunch break is required. Employers in North Carolina are not required to provide rest breaks or meal breaks for employees aged 16 and older.