Michigan Mimimum Wage & Wage Claims

    
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Minimum Wage in MichiganMichigan Minimum Wage Finder
  
Detroit, Michigan 48201
Michigan Counties

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For detailed information about the minimum wage in your county, please enter your ZIP code. This will direct you to a page providing tailored information about the minimum wage in your area.
Michigan Minimum Wage
     
                   Wayne County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Detroit)  FIPS: 26163                 - pop.1,793,561               
             
                   Oakland County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Pontiac)  FIPS: 26125                 - pop.1,274,395               
             
                   Macomb County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Mount Clemens)  FIPS: 26099                 - pop.881,217               
             
                   Kent County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Grand Rapids)  FIPS: 26081                 - pop.657,974               
             
                   Genesee County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Flint)  FIPS: 26049                 - pop.406,211               
             
                   Washtenaw County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Ann Arbor)  FIPS: 26161                 - pop.372,258               
             
                   Ottawa County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Grand Haven)  FIPS: 26139                 - pop.296,200               
             
                   Ingham County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Mason)  FIPS: 26065                 - pop.284,900               
             
                   Kalamazoo County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Kalamazoo)  FIPS: 26077                 - pop.261,670               
             
                   Livingston County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Howell)  FIPS: 26093                 - pop.193,866               
             
                   Saginaw County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Saginaw)  FIPS: 26145                 - pop.190,124               
             
                   Muskegon County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Muskegon)  FIPS: 26121                 - pop.175,824               
             
                   Saint Clair County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Port Huron)  FIPS: 26147                 - pop.160,383               
             
                   Jackson County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Jackson)  FIPS: 26075                 - pop.160,366               
             
                   Monroe County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Monroe)  FIPS: 26115                 - pop.154,809               
             
                   Berrien County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Saint Joseph)  FIPS: 26021                 - pop.154,316               
             
                   Calhoun County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Marshall)  FIPS: 26025                 - pop.134,310               
             
                   Allegan County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Allegan)  FIPS: 26005                 - pop.120,502               
             
                   Eaton County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Charlotte)  FIPS: 26045                 - pop.109,175               
             
                   Bay County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Bay City)  FIPS: 26017                 - pop.103,856               
             
                   Lenawee County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Adrian)  FIPS: 26091                 - pop.99,423               
             
                   Grand Traverse County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Traverse City)  FIPS: 26055                 - pop.95,238               
             
                   Lapeer County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Lapeer)  FIPS: 26087                 - pop.88,619               
             
                   Midland County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Midland)  FIPS: 26111                 - pop.83,494               
             
                   Clinton County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Saint Johns)  FIPS: 26037                 - pop.79,128               
             
                   Van Buren County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Paw Paw)  FIPS: 26159                 - pop.75,587               
             
                   Shiawassee County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Corunna)  FIPS: 26155                 - pop.68,094               
             
                   Ionia County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Ionia)  FIPS: 26067                 - pop.66,804               
             
                   Montcalm County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Stanton)  FIPS: 26117                 - pop.66,614               
             
                   Marquette County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Marquette)  FIPS: 26103                 - pop.66,017               
             
                   Isabella County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Mount Pleasant)  FIPS: 26073                 - pop.64,394               
             
                   Barry County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Hastings)  FIPS: 26015                 - pop.62,423               
             
                   Saint Joseph County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Centreville)  FIPS: 26149                 - pop.60,939               
             
                   Tuscola County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Caro)  FIPS: 26157                 - pop.53,323               
             
                   Cass County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Cassopolis)  FIPS: 26027                 - pop.51,589               
             
                   Newaygo County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (White Cloud)  FIPS: 26123                 - pop.49,978               
             
                   Hillsdale County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Hillsdale)  FIPS: 26059                 - pop.45,746               
             
                   Branch County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Coldwater)  FIPS: 26023                 - pop.44,862               
             
                   Gratiot County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Ithaca)  FIPS: 26057                 - pop.41,761               
             
                   Sanilac County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Sandusky)  FIPS: 26151                 - pop.40,611               
             
                   Mecosta County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Big Rapids)  FIPS: 26107                 - pop.39,714               
             
                   Houghton County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Houghton)  FIPS: 26061                 - pop.37,361               
             
                   Delta County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Escanaba)  FIPS: 26041                 - pop.36,903               
             
                   Chippewa County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Sault Sainte Marie)  FIPS: 26033                 - pop.36,785               
             
                   Emmet County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Petoskey)  FIPS: 26047                 - pop.34,112               
             
                   Wexford County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Cadillac)  FIPS: 26165                 - pop.33,673               
             
                   Huron County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Bad Axe)  FIPS: 26063                 - pop.31,407               
             
                   Clare County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Harrison)  FIPS: 26035                 - pop.30,856               
             
                   Mason County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Ludington)  FIPS: 26105                 - pop.29,052               
             
                   Alpena County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Alpena)  FIPS: 26007                 - pop.28,907               
             
                   Oceana County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Hart)  FIPS: 26127                 - pop.26,659               
             
                   Charlevoix County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Charlevoix)  FIPS: 26029                 - pop.26,054               
             
                   Dickinson County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Iron Mountain)  FIPS: 26043                 - pop.25,947               
             
                   Cheboygan County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Cheboygan)  FIPS: 26031                 - pop.25,579               
             
                   Gladwin County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Gladwin)  FIPS: 26051                 - pop.25,386               
             
                   Iosco County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Tawas City)  FIPS: 26069                 - pop.25,237               
             
                   Otsego County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Gaylord)  FIPS: 26137                 - pop.25,091               
             
                   Manistee County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Manistee)  FIPS: 26101                 - pop.25,032               
             
                   Menominee County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Menominee)  FIPS: 26109                 - pop.23,502               
             
                   Roscommon County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Roscommon)  FIPS: 26143                 - pop.23,459               
             
                   Antrim County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Bellaire)  FIPS: 26009                 - pop.23,431               
             
                   Osceola County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Reed City)  FIPS: 26133                 - pop.22,891               
             
                   Leelanau County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Leland)  FIPS: 26089                 - pop.22,301               
             
                   Ogemaw County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (West Branch)  FIPS: 26129                 - pop.20,770               
             
                   Benzie County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Beulah)  FIPS: 26019                 - pop.17,970               
             
                   Kalkaska County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Kalkaska)  FIPS: 26079                 - pop.17,939               
             
                   Missaukee County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Lake City)  FIPS: 26113                 - pop.15,052               
             
                   Arenac County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Standish)  FIPS: 26011                 - pop.15,002               
             
                   Gogebic County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Bessemer)  FIPS: 26053                 - pop.14,380               
             
                   Crawford County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Grayling)  FIPS: 26039                 - pop.12,988               
             
                   Presque Isle County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Rogers City)  FIPS: 26141                 - pop.12,982               
             
                   Lake County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Baldwin)  FIPS: 26085                 - pop.12,096               
             
                   Iron County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Crystal Falls)  FIPS: 26071                 - pop.11,631               
             
                   Mackinac County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Saint Ignace)  FIPS: 26097                 - pop.10,834               
             
                   Alcona County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Harrisville)  FIPS: 26001                 - pop.10,167               
             
                   Montmorency County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Atlanta)  FIPS: 26119                 - pop.9,153               
             
                   Alger County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Munising)  FIPS: 26003                 - pop.8,842               
             
                   Oscoda County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Mio)  FIPS: 26135                 - pop.8,219               
             
                   Baraga County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (LAnse)  FIPS: 26013                 - pop.8,158               
             
                   Schoolcraft County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Manistique)  FIPS: 26153                 - pop.8,047               
             
                   Ontonagon County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Ontonagon)  FIPS: 26131                 - pop.5,816               
             
                   Luce County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Newberry)  FIPS: 26095                 - pop.5,339               
             
                   Keweenaw County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Eagle River)  FIPS: 26083                 - pop.2,046

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Michigan Wage & Hour Resources

Minimum Wage In Michigan

The minimum wage in Michigan is $10.33 an hour. Because this is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees in The Wolverine State must be paid at least $10.33 an hour.

Michigan Wage & Hour Law

Overtime

Tips

Nearby States

Wayne County Resources

Wage & Hour Law Minimum Wage ▼

What Is the Minimum Wage in Michigan?

What Is the Minimum Wage in Michigan?

The minimum wage in Michigan is $10.33 an hour. Because this is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees in The Wolverine State must be paid at least $10.33 an hour.

The minimum wage is the least you can be paid per hour, by law. You are entitled to earn at least the highest minimum wage that applies to you, whether the standard is federal, state, or local. The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25. If your city or state has passed a law setting a higher minimum wage, your employer must pay you at least that higher amount per hour; it cannot pay you the lower federal minimum wage instead.

The minimum wage represents gross earnings: earnings before deductions, such as tax withholding, are taken. Your actual take-home pay may be less than the minimum wage.
Who Earns Overtime in Michigan?
Who Earns Overtime in Michigan?
You qualify for overtime pay if:
- you are paid by the hour
- you are not exempt (for example, because you hold a “white collar” job), and
- you work over 40 hours in a workweek (or 8 hours in a workday in some states).
If you are eligible for overtime, you are entitled to 1-1/2 times your regular hourly rate for each overtime hour worked. Check the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity for the overtime standards in Michigan.

For more information about overtime eligibility, see Am I Entitled to Overtime Pay in Michigan?
How Do I Calculate My Hourly Wage?

How Do I Calculate My Hourly Wage?

To calculate your hourly wage, take the total amount you are paid (whether by the hour, as a salary, by piece rate, or on commission) in a pay period, such as one workweek. Divide that total amount by the total number of regular time (not overtime) hours you worked to earn that money. Be sure to count every hour you worked, including time spent working from home (if allowed by your employer) and any break time for which you should be paid, including breaks that lasted 20 minutes or less and breaks during which you had to work. The hourly rate that you come up with must be at least the minimum wage in Michigan.

For more information about your pay rights, see What Are My Rights to Pay for Work in Michigan?
What Is a Tip Credit?

What Is a Tip Credit?

A tip credit is the amount of tips you earn that your employer can count towards its obligation to pay you the minimum wage.

An employer that is allowed to take a tip credit can pay you less than the regular minimum wage, as long as you earn enough in tips to bring your hourly compensation up to at least the minimum wage. Under federal law, for example, the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, but employers may pay tipped employees as little as $2.13 an hour, as long as the employee earns at least the rest in tips. An employer taking advantage of this lower minimum wage is taking a tip credit of $5.12 an hour.

Not all states allow employers to take a tip credit. Some states that allow a tip credit set the minimum tipped wage amount at $2.13 an hour, like federal law; others have established a higher tipped minimum wage.
In Michigan, your employer may pay you a minimum wage of $3.93 an hour, as long as you earn enough in tips to bring your total hourly pay up to the full minimum wage, $10.33 an hour. If you don’t earn enough in tips to bring your compensation to the full minimum wage, your employer must make up the difference.
Are Tip Pools Legal?
Are Tip Pools Legal?
Does your employer require you to pool tips? Tip pooling, sometimes called tip sharing or tipping out, is a common practice in establishments where only some employees receive tips directly from customers, especially restaurants.

In a tip pool, tipped employees put a certain amount or percentage of their tips into a pot, which is then shared among a group of employees. Whether a tip pool is legal depends on who shares in the pool, among other things.

The general rule is that tips belong to the employee who received them. However, employees can be required to pay part of their tips into a tip sharing arrangement, as long as it meets these legal requirements:
- The employer may not share in the tip pool. This includes managers and supervisors. If managers and supervisors receive their own tips for services they directly and solely provide to customers, they may contribute a portion of those tips to the tip pool, but they may not take any money from the pool.
- If the employer takes a tip credit, then only employees who regularly and customarily receive tips may share in the tip pool. For example, wait staff, bussers, and bartenders may be part of the tip pool, but "back of the house" employees -- like cooks and dishwashers -- may not. (Employers that don't take a tip credit may allow back of the house employees to take a share of the tip pool, but only if state law allows it.)
- Only the amount of tips an employee actually takes home counts towards any employer tip credit. In other words, if an employee has to share tips, the employee's hourly wage includes only what the employee got back from the tip pool, not what the employee had to put into the pot.
Am I Entitled to Breaks?

Am I Entitled to Breaks?

Believe it or not, employers in many states have no legal obligation to give their employees any breaks during the work day. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require employers to provide any breaks, and many states follow the same rule. Other states require employers to provide rest breaks, meal breaks, or both.

A small number of states require employers to provide paid rest breaks during the work day.
Michigan law does not require employers to offer meal breaks. If your employer chooses to give employees meal breaks, you are not entitled to be paid for that time as long as your break lasts for more than 20 minutes and you don’t have to do any work during your break.
Michigan law does not require employers to provide rest breaks. If your employer chooses to let employees take rest breaks, it must pay you for breaks that last for 20 minutes or less.
How Can I Enforce My Wage and Hour Rights?
How Can I Enforce My Wage and Hour Rights?
If your employer hasn't paid you overtime, hasn't given you legally required breaks, didn't give you a final paycheck, or has otherwise not paid you everything you are owed, you should take steps to assert your rights. There are three things you can do:
- Complain within your company. Use your company's internal complaint process to raise your concerns. Ask the company to investigate and make the situation right. The law protects you from employer retaliation for asserting your wage and hour rights.
- File a wage claim. If your company doesn't resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, find out whether your state has an administrative wage claim procedure. In most states, you can file a claim with the state agency that enforces wage and hour laws. Your claim may be investigated, settled, or sent to an administrative hearing, where you can present evidence that you were not paid properly. It's a good idea to talk to an employment lawyer if you are considering filing a wage claim. A lawyer can help you word the complaint properly, present your best evidence persuasively, and reach the best possible outcome -- all while preserving your arguments for court, if things don't work out.
- File a lawsuit. If other avenues don't work, you can sue your employer in state or federal court for wage theft. At this point, you will definitely need legal representation to persuade a judge or jury to enter a judgment in your favor.
What Is a Wage Claim?

What Is a Wage Claim?

A wage claim is an administrative complaint you can make against your employer with your state department of labor. Most states have created a process for employees to file a wage claim with a government agency, so they can get their claims adjudicated and get the money they are owed, in less time and for less money than it would cost to file a lawsuit.

Not every state has a wage claim procedure, however.

Check the website of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity to learn more.
Do I Need a Lawyer for My Overtime or Wage Case?

Do I Need a Lawyer for My Overtime or Wage Case?

In most cases, it makes sense to hire a lawyer to pursue your overtime or unpaid wage claim. This doesn’t mean you should hire a lawyer at the first sign of trouble, however. If you believe your employer hasn’t paid you fairly, start by raising the issue within your company. Ask your manager or your human resource representative about the problem, or file a complaint using your company’s internal complaint process. It is illegal for your employer to retaliate against you for making a wage and hour complaint, whether you make it within your company or to an outside agency or court.

If your company does nothing to address your concerns – or breaks the law by firing or disciplining you for asserting your rights – then it’s time to talk to a lawyer. At this point, your options are to negotiate a settlement of your claims with your employer, file a wage claim against your employer with your state’s labor department (if your state has this type of procedure), or file a lawsuit. Having a lawyer will greatly boost your chances of success in any of these endeavors. And, because most lawyers work on a contingency fee basis in these types of cases, you won’t have to pay the lawyer unless you win. Learn more about finding a wage and hour lawyer.
How Do Wage and Hour Lawyers Charge?

How Do Wage and Hour Lawyers Charge?

Most lawyers that represent employees charge a contingency fee. This means the lawyer gets paid only if the client wins, and only out of the money the client receives as a settlement or court award. When you meet with a lawyer, ask how the lawyer charges, including what percentage he or she will take as a contingency fee.

You will most likely have to pay the costs of litigation, including court fees, transcription costs, copying costs, and so on. Some attorneys will advance these costs for you, paying them out of pocket until the end of the case. If you win, you can use your award to pay the costs.
What Is a Class Action Lawsuit?

What Is a Class Action Lawsuit?

A class action lawsuit is a court case brought on behalf of a group of employees who have similar legal claims against their employer. In a class action case, one lawsuit decides the rights of all employees who are members of the class.

It’s not uncommon for overtime and unpaid wage cases to be brought as class action lawsuits, if the employer applied an illegal policy to a group of employees. For example, if a retail employer required all employees to arrive at 8:30 a.m., spend half an hour cleaning the store and restocking shelves, and then clock in (and start to get paid) at 9 a.m., an attorney might bring a class action lawsuit on behalf of all employees who were subjected to this policy.

Many wage and hour cases involve relatively small dollar amounts. Although every dollar you aren’t paid is undoubtedly very important to you, the overall value of your case might not be high enough to interest an attorney in representing you. When a number of employees combine in one lawsuit, the attorney can bring all of your claims at the same time and earn a higher fee.