Wage and Hour Laws in Tennessee

Tennessee rules on employee overtime, wage and hour law, and fair pay.

Updated by , J.D., University of Missouri School of Law
Need Professional Help? Talk to an Employment Rights Attorney.

There was a problem with the submission. Please refresh the page and try again
Full Name is required
Email is required
Please add a valid Email
Phone Number is required
Please enter a valid Phone Number
Zip Code is required
Please add a valid Zip Code
Description is required
By clicking "Find a Lawyer", you agree to the Martindale-Nolo Texting Terms. Martindale-Nolo and up to 5 participating attorneys may contact you on the number you provided for marketing purposes, discuss available services, etc. Messages may be sent using pre-recorded messages, auto-dialer or other automated technology. You are not required to provide consent as a condition of service. Attorneys have the option, but are not required, to send text messages to you. You will receive up to 2 messages per week from Martindale-Nolo. Frequency from attorney may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Your number will be held in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

You should not send any sensitive or confidential information through this site. Any information sent through this site does not create an attorney-client relationship and may not be treated as privileged or confidential. The lawyer or law firm you are contacting is not required to, and may choose not to, accept you as a client. The Internet is not necessarily secure and emails sent through this site could be intercepted or read by third parties.

What is the minimum wage in Tennessee?

Tennessee has no minimum wage law. That means eligible employees in Tennessee are entitled to either federal minimum wage (currently $7.25 per hour) or any local (city or county) minimum wage law that is on the books, whichever wage rate is higher.

Is the minimum wage different in Tennessee for tipped employees?

Because Tennessee has no minimum wage law, Tennessee employees who earn tips are covered by the FLSA rules on tip credits and minimum wages for tipped employees.

(For more information, see Nolo's article Tips, Tip Pooling, and Tip Credits.)

When am I entitled to earn overtime?

Tennessee has no overtime laws, although you may be eligible for overtime pay under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. To learn more, see Nolo's article Overtime Pay: Your Rights as an Employee and contact the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Am I entitled to a lunch or rest break?

Yes. Employees in Tennessee are entitled to a meal break of 30 minutes, unpaid, for employees scheduled to work six consecutive hours or more, unless the work is such that there is ample time for breaks throughout the day.

To learn more about wage and hour laws in Tennessee, contact the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

What are wage and hour laws?

Wage and hour laws set the basic standards for pay and time worked -- covering issues like minimum wage, tips, overtime, meal and rest breaks, what counts as time worked, when you must be paid, things your employer must pay for, and so on.

Where do wage and hour laws come from?

The federal wage and hour law is called the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Most states also have their own wage and hour laws, and some local governments (like cities and counties) do, too.

An employer who is subject to more than one law must follow the law that is most generous to the employee. For example, the federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour, but employers in states that have set a higher minimum wage must pay the higher amount.

Finding an employment law attorney

To locate an employment law attorney in your area, visit Nolo's Lawyer Directory, where you can view information about each lawyer's experience, education, fees, and, perhaps most importantly, the lawyer's general philosophy of practicing law.

By using Nolo's directory, you can narrow down candidates before calling them for a phone or face-to-face interview.

Updated February 3, 2023

Get Professional Help
Talk to an Employment Rights attorney.
There was a problem with the submission. Please refresh the page and try again
Full Name is required
Email is required
Please add a valid Email
Phone Number is required
Please enter a valid Phone Number
Zip Code is required
Please add a valid Zip Code
Description is required
By clicking "Find a Lawyer", you agree to the Martindale-Nolo Texting Terms. Martindale-Nolo and up to 5 participating attorneys may contact you on the number you provided for marketing purposes, discuss available services, etc. Messages may be sent using pre-recorded messages, auto-dialer or other automated technology. You are not required to provide consent as a condition of service. Attorneys have the option, but are not required, to send text messages to you. You will receive up to 2 messages per week from Martindale-Nolo. Frequency from attorney may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Your number will be held in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

You should not send any sensitive or confidential information through this site. Any information sent through this site does not create an attorney-client relationship and may not be treated as privileged or confidential. The lawyer or law firm you are contacting is not required to, and may choose not to, accept you as a client. The Internet is not necessarily secure and emails sent through this site could be intercepted or read by third parties.

How It Works

  1. Briefly tell us about your case
  2. Provide your contact information
  3. Choose attorneys to contact you