A.  Possibly.  As an initial matter, you should know that the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require you, as the employer of a nanny, to provide meal or rest breaks.  However, as most employers out there will provide for such breaks, it is important to know the difference between breaks for which the FLSA requires employers to provide compensation and those it does not.

If your nanny’s break is short, between five and twenty minutes, federal law considers that time for which the nanny should be compensated.  However, for longer breaks, typically lasting for thirty minutes or more, federal law generally does not require compensation to be provided.

For more information on the FLSA’s treatment of breaks or meal periods provided by the DOL please click here.