As an employee, you cannot be force-fed, but some states require employers to give employees a meal break. And this means employees must take the break, or their employers risk the wrath of the state labor department.
The specifics of the time off — how long it must be, how long you must work before you are entitled to a break, and whether or not you are entitled to be paid for the break time — depend on your state’s law.
David Payab, Esq. from The Law Offices of Payab & Associates can be reached @ (818) 918-5522 or by visiting http://payablaw.com/