Tennessee Worker Rights
Tennessee has no state minimum wage law but requires a meal break on longer shifts, and runs its own state OSHA plan.
- Tennessee
Pay
- Minimum wage: no state law, so the federal $7.25 applies to most jobs.
- Overtime: federal rules, 1.5x over 40 hours a week.
- Final pay: by the next regular payday or within 21 days, whichever is later.
Breaks and leave
- Breaks: a 30-minute unpaid rest or meal break for shifts of 6 hours or more (not during or before the first hour).
- No state paid sick leave law.
Unions and right-to-work
Tennessee is a right-to-work state: a union contract can’t require you to join a union or pay dues or fees to keep your job. You still have the right to organize and act together with coworkers under federal law. See Right-to-Work States.
Where to file
- Unpaid wages and overtime: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Labor Standards, or the U.S. Department of Labor.
- Discrimination and harassment: Tennessee Human Rights Commission, or the U.S. EEOC.
- Safety: TOSHA, the state plan, covers most private and public employers.
- Work injuries: report the injury to your employer right away, in writing, and follow up with Tennessee’s workers’ compensation agency. See Workers’ Compensation.
Check current rules: this is a summary. Wage rates and labor laws change often, usually on January 1 or July 1, and cities and counties can add their own rules. Confirm details with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development before acting. Federal protections apply too. See Where to Get Help.
Standards & references
Last updated: