Substitute teacher tells board breaks are deducted despite not being relieved; cites potential FLSA violation

During the citizen‑comment period at the Moriarty-Edgewood School District board meeting, Roxan Sado, identified by the board as a substitute teacher and former educational assistant, told trustees she is routinely not relieved of supervisory duties for unpaid breaks while the district nonetheless deducts a lunch break from her pay.

Sado said federal law requires that an unpaid break be uninterrupted and that the employee be completely relieved of duties; she asserted that, in her experience, she has been required to remain with students and therefore cannot lawfully have pay deducted for a break. "If I cannot actually be relieved of my responsibilities, yet the time is still deducted from my pay, that is not only a violation of labor law, it defies common sense," she said during the two‑minute comment period.

The transcript records Sado’s allegation and citation of the Fair Labor Standards Act but does not show an on‑the‑record administrative response or board directive at that moment. The board chair thanked her for her comment and the meeting proceeded to the next agenda items. Sado’s remarks raise an operational and legal question about district substitute supervision practices, break relief procedures and payroll deductions.

Board staff did not respond on the record during the two‑minute comment; the comment may prompt staff follow‑up outside the meeting record. No investigation or corrective action was announced during the session.