Idaho Family and Medical Leave
The Family and Medical Leave Act allows employees to take necessary
leaves of absence for personal reasons and not have the fear of losing
their employment. Personal reasons include maternity leave, the care
for an elderly parent, hospitalization, ill children, and others in
relation to medical or psychological needs.
Maternity leave allows a mother to bond with her newborn or adoptive
parents to bond with their new child. Maternity leave and family or
medical leave is allotted for twelve consecutive weeks. No amount of
these designated weeks can be spread over several months. An employee
may request to return to work sooner than twelve weeks. Paternity leave
can also be provided
The Family and Medical Leave Act provides the employee returning from
leave with the mandatory entitlement to the same occupation he or she
had prior to leave or an occupation of the same salary, work
environment, and benefits. While an employee is on leave, the business
or company has the right to hire a new employee to fulfill the vacancy.
Often times current employees may handle the absentee's duties or a
temporary employee will be hired. Another employee may also be
temporarily promoted while the individual is on leave.
Idaho Meal Break Laws
The state of Idaho does not have mealtime requirement laws. Employers
are thus not required to provide paid or unpaid meal breaks at any
point during the day. This means that employees can work ten or more
hours without having a break to eat. If a company or business provides
mealtime breaks as a policy, then employees are required to submit to
the breaks.
An unwritten or a written policy must be established for all employees
and not just for supervisors or managers. During a meal break if an
individual is still working, then he or she is by law required to be
paid for his or her time.
Other breaks are also not required by Idaho state laws or federal laws.
The Fair Labor Standards Act covers shorter breaks but still does not
require employers to administer breaks. Employers often do provide five
to ten minute breaks periodically throughout the workday. These kinds
of breaks can often promote productivity and allow employees a chance
to mentally rest.
The Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to pay employees for
breaks under twenty minutes, even though meal breaks are often not
paid. Restroom breaks are also not required, but employees may use
designated facilities when necessary.
Overtime Payment
Idaho has not state law that requires employers to pay employees
overtime. However under federal law employees are promised overtime
payment after forty hours of work in a single week. Overtime payment is
the payment of time and a half, where an employee earns his or her
normal wages in addition to half of his or her designated wages. For
instance an employee may be paid nine dollars an hour at a normal rate
but when working overtime that same employee will earn thirteen dollars
and fifty cents an hour for the continued hours worked that week.