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State Labor Laws
Employer guides for all 50 states and DC

Minimum wage, overtime, breaks, sick leave and final pay rules for every state, updated for 2026. Choose your state to see what applies to your team.

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Find your state

Pick a state to see its minimum wage, overtime, break, sick leave and final pay rules for 2026, with links to the official state sources. Federal law sets the floor everywhere; these guides show where your state goes further.

Showing 51 of 51 guides

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No state matches your search.

What every guide covers

Each state guide follows the same structure, so you can compare states quickly if you have teams in more than one.

Minimum wageThe 2026 state rate, tipped wages, and where cities or counties set their own rate.
OvertimeWeekly and daily overtime, common exemptions and how the regular rate is calculated.
Meal and rest breaksWhether breaks are required, paid or unpaid, and the rules for minors.
Sick leave and time offPaid sick leave laws, vacation payout and other leave employers must know.
Paydays and final payHow often to pay employees and the deadline for the last paycheck.
Minors, records and postersChild labor hours, required records and workplace posters.

These guides are general information, reviewed in November 2026, and are not legal advice. Laws change and local ordinances can add rules, so confirm details with the official state agency linked in each guide or with an employment attorney. Also see our guides to FLSA overtime rules and predictive scheduling laws.

Start with the federal baseline

The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets the floor that applies in every state. Each state guide above shows where that state goes further. When federal and state rules differ, employers follow the rule that is better for the employee.

TopicFederal rule (FLSA)
Minimum wage$7.25 per hour
Tipped employeesCash wage of at least $2.13 per hour with a tip credit, as long as tips bring pay to $7.25
Overtime1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek, for non-exempt employees
Meal and rest breaksNot required by federal law; short breaks that are given (usually up to 20 minutes) must be paid
Paid sick leaveNot required by federal law for most private employers
Final paycheckNo federal deadline; state law decides
RecordsKeep payroll records for 3 years and time cards and wage rate tables for 2 years

Where states most often differ

  • Minimum wage. Many states and some cities set a higher rate, and several adjust it every year for inflation.
  • Daily overtime. A few states count overtime by the day as well as the week. California, Alaska and Nevada use more than 8 hours in a day (Nevada only for lower-paid employees), and Colorado uses more than 12.
  • Breaks. Some states require meal periods, rest breaks, or both, and some only for minors.
  • Paid sick leave. A growing number of states and cities require paid sick time, with different accrual rates and caps.
  • Final pay. Deadlines range from immediately at termination to the next regular payday, and can differ for employees who quit.
  • Scheduling. Some states and cities have predictive scheduling rules for certain industries. See our guide to predictive scheduling laws.

How to use these guides

Open the guide for each state where you have employees working, not only where your company is registered. Note the minimum wage, overtime, break and final pay rules, then check the date at the top of each guide and the official state source it links to before you change a policy. Rules change, often on January 1 or July 1. These guides are general information, not legal advice.

For the federal overtime rules in more depth, see FLSA overtime rules.

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