Oregon has amended its rule regarding meal and rest periods to prescribe timing of meal periods in certain hospital settings. Generally speaking, under the current rule, if an employee’s work period is seven hours or less, the meal period must be taken after the conclusion of the second hour worked and completed prior to the commencement of the fifth hour worked. If the work period is more than seven hours, the meal period must be taken after the conclusion of the third hour worked and completed prior to the commencement of the sixth hour worked.
Under the amended rule, for employees of an acute inpatient care facility, if the work period is more than seven hours, but less than ten hours, the meal period must be taken after the conclusion of the third hour worked and completed prior to the commencement of the sixth hour worked. If the work period is ten hours or more, the meal period must be taken after the conclusion of the third hour worked and completed prior to the conclusion of the ninth hour worked.
The amended rule goes into effect on January 15, 2024.
