Wyoming has one of the lightest sets of state wage rules in the country. The Department of Workforce Services (DWS) Labor Standards office enforces state minimum wage, unpaid wage and child labor laws, but for most businesses the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets the real minimums. Here is what applies.
EZTime labor rule alerts flag overtime and missed rest periods before payroll.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | State rate $5.15 per hour; most employers must pay the federal $7.25 (Wyoming DWS) |
| Tipped cash wage | $2.13 per hour under federal rules, with tips reaching $7.25 (U.S. DOL) |
| Overtime | No general state overtime; FLSA requires 1.5x after 40 hours a week. State overtime applies on public works |
| Daily overtime | Only on public works projects (over 8 hours a day) |
| Meal and rest breaks | Not required by state law (DWS employer FAQ) |
| Sick and vacation leave | No payout required at separation if your written policy says so |
| Payday | Most employers set their own schedule; certain industries must pay semi-monthly |
| Final pay | By the next regular payday |
| Child labor | No state work permit; under 16 limited to 8 hours in any 12-hour period, no work 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. |
Wyoming law sets the state minimum wage at $5.15 per hour, and DWS says the rate does not vary by employee type or schedule (DWS employer FAQ). That figure is below the federal minimum, so in practice it applies only to the few employers not covered by the FLSA. As DWS puts it on its worker FAQ, “most workers must be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.” The U.S. DOL state table (updated July 1, 2026) agrees: FLSA-covered employers must pay $7.25.
No change to either rate has been announced for January 1, 2027. If you are unsure whether the FLSA reaches your business, pay at least $7.25; employees who are underpaid can file a wage claim with DWS or sue for unpaid wages plus attorney fees and costs (W.S. 27-4-204(a)).
The U.S. DOL tipped wage table (revised July 1, 2026) lists Wyoming with a combined minimum of $7.25, a maximum tip credit of $5.12 and a minimum cash wage of $2.13 per hour, with a tipped employee defined as one who receives more than $30 a month in tips. Tips must bring each worker to at least $7.25 an hour, or the employer pays the difference. DWS’s own FAQ pages do not address tipped wages, so contact Labor Standards with specific questions.
DWS states that Wyoming law does not generally require overtime pay; salaried and commission-paid workers, for example, are not owed overtime under state law. The one state exception is public works: under W.S. 16-6-110, work on public works projects must be paid at time and one-half for hours over 8 in a day or over 40 in a week, though employees may agree to longer days if they still receive overtime for hours over 40 in the week.
Everywhere else, federal law applies. The FLSA requires covered employers to pay non-exempt employees at least time and one-half their regular rate for every hour over 40 in a workweek (U.S. DOL overtime page). There is no daily overtime outside public works. Our FLSA overtime guide explains which salaried roles can be exempt, and the overtime calculator works out the pay.
DWS is direct on this point: “No, Wyoming law does not require breaks.” Wyoming is absent from both the U.S. DOL meal period table and the rest period table. Breaks are therefore a policy decision, but how you pay for them is governed by federal rules. Short breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes are paid work time and count toward overtime, while bona fide meal periods, typically 30 minutes or more with the employee relieved of duty, can be unpaid (U.S. DOL breaks guidance).
Wyoming’s labor standards guidance focuses on what happens to leave at the end of employment rather than requiring employers to offer it. The DWS employer FAQ explains:
The worker FAQ adds that employees are generally not automatically entitled to unused vacation pay, but if the employer has a policy or promised a payout, it must follow it. Use the PTO accrual calculator when designing your policy.
Pay frequency. DWS says most employers are not required to follow a specific pay schedule, but certain industries must pay semi-monthly (W.S. 27-4-101). The U.S. DOL payday table lists Wyoming under semi-monthly. Contact DWS if you are unsure whether your industry is covered. Employees cannot be required to accept direct deposit; they must agree to it (W.S. 27-4-101(b)).
Final pay. When an employee leaves for any reason, the final paycheck is due by the next regular payday (W.S. 27-4-104(a); see the DWS Your Rights as a Worker page). If an employee dies, wages go to heirs or next of kin on the regular payday.
Deductions. Employers may deduct for items such as loans, cash register shortages or broken equipment, but only by following the state’s wage offset rules. Employees who are not paid can file an online claim through the DWS wage claim page.
According to the DWS youth and parents FAQ, Wyoming does not require work permits for minors, but employers must keep proof of age on file. Federal limits also apply, and parental approval does not override them. For 14- and 15-year-olds, DWS summarizes the federal rules:
Wyoming’s own limits for workers under 16, as listed in the U.S. DOL child labor table, are no more than 8 hours in any 12-hour period and no work from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. (midnight before a non-school day and for minors not enrolled in school). DWS also lists jobs minors cannot do, including roofing, mining, excavation, logging and work with explosives, and equipment that is off-limits such as meat slicers, mixers, forklifts and power-driven saws. Minors may not drive motor vehicles for work. For full details, see the youth rights page and the child labor brochure linked from the DWS hiring youth page.
DWS reminds employers that they must display labor law posters in a high-traffic area. Its labor law poster page offers the Wyoming-specific posters (including OSHA, workers’ compensation, state minimum wage and unemployment insurance) in English and Spanish, plus links to federal posters. DWS says most businesses need both the Wyoming and federal sets, and posters are free to print or pick up at a Wyoming Workforce Center; DWS never charges for them. Keep birth dates on file for minors, and follow federal FLSA rules for time and pay records.
With few state rules, accurate federal timekeeping is what protects you. EZTime’s time clock runs as a GPS mobile app with geofencing for remote job sites, or on NFC tags, a tablet kiosk or biometric clocks. Overtime and break alerts flag weeks heading past 40 hours (or days past 8 on public works), scheduling with shift templates and swaps keeps teens inside their hours, PTO and sick-leave balances follow your written policy, and payroll-ready Excel and PDF exports work with any payroll software. 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 Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Labor Standards office or an employment attorney. Last reviewed November 2026.
Wyoming’s state minimum wage is $5.15 per hour, but most workers are covered by the federal FLSA and must be paid at least $7.25 per hour.
Not generally under state law, except on public works projects. The federal FLSA requires covered employers to pay time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek.
No. Wyoming law does not require meal or rest breaks. If you offer short breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes, federal rules treat them as paid time.
Not if a clear written policy that the employee acknowledged says unused vacation is not paid out and employees had a fair chance to use it. Employers may also choose not to pay out sick or personal leave.
No. Wyoming does not require work permits, but employers must keep proof of age on file and follow both state and federal hour limits and hazardous job restrictions.