Am I Entitled to the Minimum Wage?

When, how, and how much you are paid depend on federal and state law.

Federal law sets some wage standards, including a "floor" minimum wage, but many states have also enacted their own wage payment laws. Where those laws are more generous to the employee than the federal law, they apply. Where they are less generous, the federal law applies.

Some types of workers are exempt from minimum wage laws, while workers paid in certain ways (by commission, tips, or piece rate) may be covered by state laws, which vary from state to state. To find out what your state's rules are for wage payment amounts, timing, and final pay, select it from the list below.

You may also be interested in:

• What You Need to Know About Minimum Wage, Overtime, and Other Wage Claims

  Learn about State wage and hour laws, including minimum wage, tips, paycheck laws, and more.

• Am I Entitled to Overtime Pay?

  Your entitlement to overtime pay depends on state law.

• What Are My Rights to Tips?

  Learn about tip sharing, service charges, and more.

About Deborah C. England

Deborah England has written about employment law for Legal Consumer since 2014. She has been a practicing attorney in San Francisco for 30 years, and she has written books and scores of articles on topics such as sexual harassment, family medical leave, and civil rights law. Deborah volunteers as a supervising attorney for the Workers’ Rights Clinic of the Legal Aid Society. She has a journalism degree from the University of Washington and a law degree from Seattle University.