Interesting question. See the attached fact sheet on rest and meal periods. The rules enforced by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries do not differentiate between exempt salaried employees and nonexempt hourly workers. The stated rule is that employees working over five hours shall be allowed a meal period, with the 30-minute meal period provided between the second and fifth working hour. However, there is no issue about whether it is paid or not paid since the salary worker is paid the predetermined amount no matter how many hours are worked -- i.e., no overtime if you are required to work through what otherwise would be a meal period.
