TN · state labor law, 2026
Tennessee labor laws: minimum wage, overtime, leave, final pay and breaks
Tennessee has no wage or overtime statute of its own, yet it does guarantee a meal break and sets an unusually long final pay window.
Tennessee and federal rules checked on official sources on · Checked by Radif Partners · How we calculate
- Minimum wage now
- $7.25/h
- federal floor applies
- Next change
- none announced
- checked October 11, 2026
- Tipped cash wage
- $2.13/h
- tips must make up the rest
- Overtime
- 40 h/week
- federal FLSA rule
- Paid sick leave
- no state law
- employer policy
- Paid family leave
- no program
- FMLA is unpaid
Tennessee relies on federal law for pay rates: there is no state minimum wage, so covered employers pay the federal $7.25 an hour, $15,080 a year at full time, and the state refers overtime questions to the U.S. Department of Labor, which applies time and a half after 40 hours a week. Two state rules stand out. Every employee scheduled for six consecutive hours must receive a 30-minute unpaid meal or rest period, which cannot be placed before or during the first hour of work, unless the job naturally gives ample chances to rest. And final wages, whether you quit or are fired, are due on the next regular payday or within 21 days of leaving, whichever comes later, so the wait can reach three weeks. Unused vacation is paid only if a policy or labor agreement says so. The state has no paid sick leave mandate and no paid family leave insurance.
Gross pay for this week in Tennessee
$290
Time and a half after 40 hours in a week (federal rule)
| Minimum wage in Tennessee now | $7.25 an hour (federal floor) |
| Your rate against it | At or above the minimum |
| Overtime: none this week | $0 |
| Paid sick leave earned in a year | No statewide paid sick leave law |
| Breaks owed in a 8-hour shift | 30 min meal |
| Final paycheck if fired | by the next regular payday or within 21 days of separation, whichever is later |
| Unused vacation at the end | Paid out if the employer policy or contract says so |
| Paid family leave | No state program |
40 hours a week at $7.25. State rule applied. Minimum wage, overtime and leave rules have exceptions by employer size and industry. How this is calculated.
A break rule in a state without wage rules
Many states that leave the wage floor to Congress also have nothing to say about breaks. Tennessee is different. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development requires a 30-minute meal or rest period for any employee scheduled to work six consecutive hours. The break is unpaid, and the employer cannot schedule it before work starts or within the first hour, so a 30-minute stop at 9:15 on a shift that began at 9:00 does not satisfy the law. The exception covers workplaces where the nature of the business gives employees ample opportunity to rest or take breaks. If you are unsure whether your job qualifies, the written schedule is the starting point: the rule turns on hours scheduled, not hours actually worked.
Breaks owed for your shift
Meal break
30 minutes
| Paid rest breaks | None required |
| Meal rule | 30 min after 6 h |
| Rest rule | no adult rule |
Federal law requires no breaks, but short breaks given must be paid.
Final pay can take three weeks
Tennessee measures the final paycheck deadline in two ways and gives the employer the later one: the next regular payday after you leave, or 21 days after the separation. Suppose your last day is October 2, 2026 and the next payday falls on October 9, 2026. The 21-day mark is October 23, 2026, so the employer may wait until then. If payday came after October 23, 2026, that later date would apply. The rule is the same for a dismissal and a resignation. Vacation, sick days and other fringe benefits are paid at the end of employment only if the employer's policy or a labor agreement specifically requires it. Vacation payout laws differ sharply from state to state.
Pay rates and overtime follow federal law
With no state minimum wage law, the federal $7.25 applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, and tipped staff can be paid a cash wage of $2.13 if tips reach the minimum. Overtime is federal too. A nurse aide paid $16 an hour on four 11-hour shifts works 44 hours and earns $736 for the week, with $96 of that from the 4 hours above 40. The length of a single shift does not matter, only the weekly total. Salaried employees must earn at least $684 a week and meet a duties test to be exempt. Time and a half explains the regular rate.
Leave and employment status
Tennessee does not require private employers to provide paid sick days and runs no paid family leave program. The federal FMLA gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave with job protection at employers with 50 or more workers. Employment is at will: either side may end it at any time, but not for a reason the law forbids. A check that never arrives can be reported to the state's Labor Standards Unit, which looks into the particular employer and dates.
Tennessee employment rules at a glance, 2026
Minimum wage schedule
| From | Who it covers | Rate | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 24, 2009 | Statewide (federal minimum) | $7.25 | No state minimum wage law; federal FLSA rate applies |
Tennessee has no state rate above the federal floor, so employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act pay at least $7.25 an hour. Read the Tennessee rule.
Overtime
Time and a half after 40 hours in a week. The salary test for exempt employees is the federal $684 a week. No state overtime law; the state refers overtime questions to the U.S. Department of Labor. source
Sick leave and family leave
Tennessee has no statewide paid sick leave law for private employers; leave depends on the employer's policy or a city ordinance. No statewide paid sick leave law for private employers.
No state paid family leave insurance: the federal FMLA gives eligible workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave.
Final paycheck and unused vacation
Fired or laid off: by the next regular payday or within 21 days of separation, whichever is later. Quitting: by the next regular payday or within 21 days, whichever is later. Vacation: Unused PTO/vacation is paid out only if the employer's policy or labor agreement requires it.. source vacation rule
Meal and rest breaks
Meal: 30-minute unpaid meal or rest period when scheduled 6 consecutive hours (not before or during the first hour); exception where the work naturally allows ample rest. No paid rest break is required for adults. source
Unions and dismissal
Tennessee is a right-to-work state: a union contract cannot require you to pay dues or fees to keep your job. Employment is at will: either side may end it at any time, except for an illegal reason such as discrimination or retaliation, or against a contract. source