Oklahoma ties its minimum wage to the federal rate and leaves overtime to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), but the Oklahoma Department of Labor (ODOL) enforces meaningful state rules on how and when wages are paid, what can be deducted and how minors under 16 may work. The summary below covers what most hourly employers need.
EZTime labor rule alerts flag overtime and missed rest periods before payroll.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $7.25 per hour (state and federal). ODOL Wage and Hour FAQ |
| Tipped employees | $2.13 cash wage plus tips must reach $7.25. U.S. DOL tipped table |
| Overtime | 1.5x regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek (FLSA). No daily overtime. |
| Breaks | None for workers 16 and older; required for 14- and 15-year-olds. ODOL child labor FAQ |
| Paid sick leave | No state mandate. |
| Paydays | At least twice a month for non-exempt staff; paid within 11 days after the pay period ends. |
| Final pay | Next regular payday. ODOL Protect Your Pay |
| Pay stubs | Paper or electronic stub with each payment, itemizing deductions. |
| Voting leave | Up to 2 hours with 3 days' notice, if needed. Oklahoma State Election Board |
| Child labor | Minimum age 14; work certificate and hour limits for ages 14-15. |
ODOL's Wage and Hour FAQ states that the federal and state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Oklahoma's statute does not set its own dollar figure; the U.S. DOL state table explains that the state adopts the federal rate by reference. No change is scheduled for January 1, 2027.
The state law applies to employers with at least 10 full-time employees (or the equivalent) at any one location, or with annual gross sales over $100,000, unless the employer is already covered by federal law. For other employers, the DOL table lists a state rate of $2.00 per hour, though any business covered by the FLSA must still pay $7.25. ODOL's plain-language minimum wage poster lists groups the state act does not treat as employees, including farm and ranch workers, maids, executives and professionals, outside salespeople, non-permanent part-time workers under 25 hours a week, people under 18 who have not graduated and people under 22 who are in school. The FLSA can still cover many of these workers.
The DOL tipped minimum wage table lists Oklahoma at the federal cash wage of $2.13 per hour with a maximum tip credit of $5.12. For the small employers outside federal coverage described above, the table notes a basic rate of $2.00 with the tip credit capped at 50%. Whenever tips plus cash wages fall short of the minimum for a workweek, you must pay the difference.
ODOL's FAQ says employers subject to federal wage and hour law must pay non-exempt employees time and one-half for hours over 40 in a workweek. Oklahoma has no daily overtime rule. The DOL overtime page adds that weekend and holiday hours do not earn a premium by themselves and that hours may not be averaged across workweeks. ODOL also confirms that employers may set minimum and maximum hours, change schedules without notice and require overtime, as long as it is paid. For the details on exemptions, see our FLSA overtime guide or the overtime calculator.
Non-exempt employees sent home early are paid only for time actually worked, while exempt employees typically must receive their full salary regardless of hours worked.
According to ODOL, neither federal nor state law requires breaks or lunch periods for employees aged 16 and older; they are a benefit the employer may choose to offer. If you do give short breaks, the DOL breaks page treats breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes as paid time, while bona fide meal periods of 30 minutes or more can be unpaid.
Workers aged 14 and 15 are the exception. The ODOL child labor FAQ requires a 30-minute rest after five consecutive hours or a one-hour cumulative rest after eight consecutive hours, and employers must document these breaks in their records.
ODOL states that Oklahoma has no mandatory severance or benefits law, so private employers are not required to provide paid sick leave, vacation or holiday pay. What you promise in writing matters, though. ODOL's Protect Your Pay guidance says that when a written policy, such as an employee handbook, promises payout of vacation, sick leave or bonuses, those amounts are legally treated as wages. Write your policy carefully and track balances accurately; our PTO accrual calculator can help.
The Oklahoma State Election Board explains that registered voters may take up to two hours off to vote on Election Day or during early voting, with no loss of pay once they show proof of voting. The request may be oral or written and must be made at least three days in advance, and the employer may choose the time. The leave is not owed if the employee has a three-hour window to vote before or after work. For jury duty, ODOL notes that non-exempt employees need not be paid for time away, while exempt employees must receive their salary for the week, minus any jury fees received for that week.
Per ODOL's FAQ, non-exempt employees must be paid all wages due at least twice each calendar month, while exempt employees may be paid monthly. Regular paydays must fall within 11 days after the end of each pay period, with up to three additional days allowed to issue payment. Every payment must come with a paper or electronic pay stub that itemizes deductions.
Only taxes, FICA and court-ordered withholding may be deducted without agreement. Deductions for loans, advances, overpayments, merchandise, uniforms, insurance, retirement plans and breakage or shortages require a written agreement signed by both sides, and a breakage or shortage deduction is allowed only if the employee was solely responsible. You may require direct deposit, but not to a specific bank unless you also offer cash or check, and payroll cards must be the employee's voluntary choice.
When employment ends, final wages are due on the next regular payday, whether the employee quit or was fired, according to ODOL's Protect Your Pay page. Former employees can file wage claims with the ODOL Wage and Hour Unit once that date passes.
The minimum age for most jobs in Oklahoma is 14. Every employed minor under 16 needs an Employment Certificate of Age and Schooling, and the employer must have it before the minor starts work. The Oklahoma child labor poster notes this includes home-schooled minors and minors from other states. Exemptions apply to farm work, work for a parent or a parent-owned business, and newspaper delivery.
Minors under 16 may not work in construction, cooking or baking, with power-driven machines, driving, loading and unloading, warehousing or public utilities, among other jobs. Workers aged 16 and 17 have no state hour limits, but federal law bars them from 17 hazardous occupations until 18. The DOL child labor table summarizes these limits.
Keep FLSA-compliant time and payroll records, break records for 14- and 15-year-olds and signed deduction agreements. ODOL's workplace posters page offers the Oklahoma Minimum Wage poster, the Oklahoma USERRA poster and the public-sector PEOSH safety poster, plus courtesy copies of the child labor and workers' compensation posters. ODOL suggests talking with counsel to confirm which state and federal posters apply to you.
Oklahoma requires break documentation for young teens and itemized stubs on every payday, so dependable time data is the place to start. EZTime gives you a GPS mobile time clock with geofencing, NFC tags, a shared tablet kiosk and biometric clocks, so every punch is tied to the right person and place. Build schedules from shift templates and let staff request swaps, while overtime and break alerts warn managers before a shift crosses a limit. PTO and sick-leave balances update automatically, and timesheets export as payroll-ready Excel or PDF files that work with any payroll software. See the attendance clock and scheduling software, or check pricing: plans start at $2 per employee per month with a 14-day trial.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change; check the Oklahoma Department of Labor or an employment attorney. Last reviewed November 2026.
It is $7.25 per hour, the same as the federal rate. Oklahoma’s law adopts the federal figure, and no increase is scheduled for 2027.
Non-exempt employees must be paid at least twice each calendar month, with paydays set within 11 days after each pay period ends.
On the next regularly scheduled payday, whether the employee quit or was fired.
Not for workers 16 and older. Workers aged 14 and 15 must get 30 minutes after five consecutive hours or one hour after eight, and the breaks must be documented.
Registered voters may take up to two hours to vote with three days’ notice and no loss of pay after proving they voted, unless they have three hours to vote outside work.