Texas (TX) Wage and Hour Laws

May 16, 2016

Texas (TX) wage and hour laws have been created to help improve working conditions throughout the state of Texas. In addition, these laws serve as a guide for Texas employers.

According to Texas (TX) wage and hour laws, the current state minimum wage for employees is $5.15 per hour. Quite a few people who work in Texas make above this wage, however. The Texas Minimum Wage Act further explains all the provisions regarding the wage that is paid to Texas workers.

Texas wage (TX) wage and hour laws list types of jobs that are exempt from minimum wage pay requirements. Some examples of these include domestic workers, family employees, inmates, certain students, and most farm workers. In addition, Texas wage and hour laws state that the minimum wage of Texas cannot be higher than the federal minimum wage.

Texas (TX) wage and hour laws may have established that they will not pay more than the federal requires. However, they could be affected by a possible federal minimum wage increase. As a result, Texas may have to pay their workers up to $7.25 per hour. This change has not taken affect yet, but could take place in the near future if passed by Congress.

Overtime is paid to most Texas employees for any hours worked over 40 per week, at a rate of one and a half times the regular hourly wage. Additionally, most employers are allowed to require employees to work overtime. One exception is retail employees. They are not required to work more than six days in a row.

Texas (TX) wage and hour laws do not contain information regarding employee lunches and rest breaks. Instead, this state follows federal standards regarding this issue. For example, federal law states that employees who receive unpaid lunch breaks (usually 30 minutes or more) must be free from all duties during that time.

Additional requirements are stated within Texas (TX) wage and hour laws for both employees and employers. Both Texas employers and employees are advised to stay informed of all wage and hour laws. These laws are updated periodically.