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. An additional 30-minute unpaid meal break when working more than 12 hours in a day.A paid 10-minute rest period for every four hours worked. Workers have a right to at least a 30minute meal break or each 6 hours worked in a calendar day. An employee is entitled to a 30 minute meal period whenever he or she works a shift of more than five hours. Short rest breaks, which usually 20 minutes or less, must be paid as work time. Employer and employees may agree to break down the 10 minutes of rest into smaller breaks, as long as they add up to 10 minutes during the 4-hour work period. There is no requirement under South Carolina law for an employer to provide employees with breaks or a lunch period. Employers must provide a second meal break of no fewer than 30 minutes for all workdays on which an employee works more than 10 hours. South Carolina has no laws in place regarding breaks.