Idaho, like other states, has regulations that govern the relationship between workers and management, including the setting of wages and hours. These rules also affect discrimination in the workplace and other elements of how workers and managers interact.
Idaho wage laws
There are several key laws in Idaho that workers should know so that they are clear on their rights. The minimum wage in Idaho is $7.25, which is equivalent to the federal minimum wage. An employee who is in a tipping role, such as wait staff, can have an hourly rate of $3.35, but their tips must bring them up to at least the $7.25 minimum per hour. There is also a carve-out for workers who are younger than 20. For the first 90 days on the job, they can be paid $4.25.
Some states also provide specific provisions for overtime hours. Idaho does not, so the federal rules for overtime automatically apply in Idaho. Any employee that works over 40 hours in a week is obligated to be paid 50 percent more for those hours at a minimum. Individual employers are free to set their own overtime policies as long as they are at least as generous as the ones outlined in the federal provisions.
Employment law in Idaho primarily is similar to federal law in major areas such as wages and hours. That makes it easier to pursue lawsuits in Idaho relative to states that have more complex regulations.
Idaho provides simple guidance for minimum wages and uses the federal rules for overtime pay and hours, so their basic employment law governance is standard.
