The Idaho Labor Law Guide

Minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate that employers are legally obligated to pay employees. The federal minimum wage is a wage baseline, but different states, cities, and regions can adopt their own rates.

$7.25 per hour for most employees (as of 2026)

Compliance Note: Idaho adopts the federal minimum wage rate by statute. Therefore, the state rate generally mirrors the federal rate. Local jurisdictions in Idaho do not set their own higher minimum wage rates.

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Tipped minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate employers are legally obligated to pay employees who earn a significant portion of their income through tips. 

$3.35 per hour for most tipped employees

Compliance Note: Employers may take a tip credit of $3.90 per hour (the difference between $7.25 and $3.35). If an employee’s tips plus the cash wage of $3.35 do not equal at least the full minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, the employer must pay the difference.

Idaho does not have its own state overtime laws. Employers must follow the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which requires non-exempt employees to receive paid time and a half (1.5x) their regular rate of pay for every hour worked over 40 hours within a workweek.

Requirement: Idaho wage and hour laws do not require employers to provide meal or rest breaks to employees.

Federal Rule: The federal FLSA also does not require employers to provide meal or rest breaks.

Policy Control: If an employer chooses to provide breaks, they must comply with federal rules regarding pay:

• Rest Breaks (5–20 minutes): Must be paid and count as time worked.

• Meal Periods (30+ minutes): May be unpaid if the employee is completely relieved of all duties.

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Vacation Leave Idaho law does not require employers to provide paid or unpaid vacation leave. Employers may offer vacation leave at their discretion based on company policy.

Paid Sick Leave Idaho law does not require employers to provide paid or unpaid sick leave.

Holidays Idaho law does not require private employers to provide paid or unpaid holiday leave. Employers can require employees to work on holidays without premium pay unless otherwise agreed in a contract.

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General Overview

Idaho child labor laws (Title 44, Chapter 13) are generally less restrictive than federal law. However, most Idaho employers are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and must follow the stricter federal standards—especially for minors aged 14–15.

Minors Under 14

Prohibited Work: Minors under 14 may not be employed in or around mines, factories, workshops, mercantile establishments (stores), restaurants, hotels, laundries, apartment houses, telephone/telegraph offices, or in delivering merchandise or messages (Idaho Code § 44‑1301).

Permitted Work: Employment is limited to narrowly defined exceptions such as:

• Casual domestic labor

• Certain non-hazardous agricultural work

• Newspaper delivery

• Limited family business roles

Time Restrictions: Minors under 14 may not work:

• Before 6:00 a.m.

• After 9:00 p.m.

• During hours when public schools are in session

Minors Aged 14–15

Federal Standards (FLSA – Applies to Most Employers):

• School Days: Max 3 hours/day

• School Weeks: Max 18 hours/week

• Non-School Days: Max 8 hours/day

• Non-School Weeks: Max 40 hours/week

• Permitted Work Hours: 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., extended to 9:00 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day

• No work permitted during public school hours

Idaho State Standards (If FLSA Does Not Apply):

• Max 9 hours/day

• Max 54 hours/week

• Permitted work hours: 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Idaho Code § 44‑1304)

School Attendance Rule: Minors under 16 may not be employed during public school hours unless they can read and write legibly in English and meet certain educational qualifications (Idaho Code § 44‑1302).

Minors Aged 16–17

• No state or federal limits on the number of hours or times of day they may work

• May not be employed in any hazardous occupations as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor (e.g., roofing, excavation, power-driven machinery)

Work Permits / Age Verification

• Idaho does not require a formal work permit system, but employers must verify the age of all minors they hire

• Acceptable documents include a birth certificate, driver’s license, school record, or other official ID

• Employers must retain proof of age documentation to demonstrate compliance with federal and state child labor laws

Federal Law In Idaho, most employers must comply with federal employment anti‑discrimination laws, including:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act: Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.

• Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA): Protects individuals aged 40 and older.

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Protects against disability discrimination.

• Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity: Under federal law (including Bostock v. Clayton County), discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is treated as prohibited sex discrimination under Title VII.

Idaho State Law The Idaho Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment based on:

• Race

• Color

• Sex (defined by state statute as biological sex)

• National origin

• Religion

• Age (40 and older)

• Disability

The statute also prohibits retaliation against employees for engaging in protected activities, such as filing a complaint under state law.

Note on Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Idaho state statutes do not currently list sexual orientation or gender identity as protected classes, and recent legislation limits the state definition of sex to biological sex. However, federal Title VII protections apply to LGBT employees, and several local jurisdictions (e.g., Boise) have ordinances prohibiting such discrimination.

Background Checks & Drug Testing Employers may conduct background checks that comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Employers may also require drug testing as part of the hiring process, provided such practices are applied consistently and do not unlawfully discriminate against protected classes.  

Firing
Idaho employers have the right to terminate employees at will for nearly any reason and no reason at all provided the reason is not unlawful. However, they cannot fire an employee for public policy reasons.