Your Rights
Know your pay rights
Minimum wage, overtime, tips, and breaks - plain-English on what you are owed when you are on the clock.
Getting paid fairly starts with knowing the rules. Federal law sets a floor, and many states go further. Here are the basics every hourly worker should know.
The basics
Minimum wage
Federal minimum is $7.25/hr, but most states set it higher - some above $15. You are owed whichever is higher where you work.
Overtime
Non-exempt hourly workers earn 1.5× pay for hours over 40 in a week. Some states add daily overtime rules on top.
Tips
Tips are yours. Employers can use a "tip credit" toward minimum wage, but your tips plus base must reach at least the full minimum.
Breaks
Short breaks are usually paid; longer meal breaks may be unpaid. Whether breaks are required at all depends on your state.
If you are not being paid right
- Keep your own records. Note your hours, shifts, and tips - your notes matter if there is ever a dispute.
- Ask first. Payroll mistakes happen; a calm question to your manager or HR often fixes it.
- Know where to turn. Your state labor office and the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division handle wage complaints - for free.