Wage-and-hour ground rules for hotel and hospitality employers in Idaho — minimum wage, tipped-employee rules, overtime, breaks, premium pay, and the hotel-specific obligations that apply on top. Figures below were last reviewed on June 12, 2026; most rates adjust annually.
Verified as of June 12, 2026 — every figure on this page was checked against the official sources listed at the bottom on that date. How we verify →
Minimum wage#
The Idaho minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, effective July 24, 2009. Idaho Code §44-1502 ties the state minimum wage to the federal rate; $7.25 since July 24, 2009.
Preemption Idaho preempts local minimum wage ordinances — cities and counties cannot set their own general wage floors.
Tipped employees & tip pooling#
Idaho allows a tip credit: employers may pay tipped employees a cash wage of $3.35 and claim up to $3.90 per hour in tips toward the minimum wage. Employee must customarily and regularly receive more than $30/month in tips; tips plus cash wage must reach $7.25/hour or the employer makes up the difference. Idaho sets its own tipped cash floor ($3.35) — higher than the federal $2.13 (Idaho Code §44-1502(3)).
Tip pooling#
No state pooling statute; federal rules govern (no employers/managers/supervisors; tip-credit pools limited to customarily tipped employees). (29 C.F.R. §531.54)
See the federal baseline rules in our tip credit and tip pooling briefs — the stricter of federal or Idaho law controls.
Overtime#
Overtime is due after 40 hours in a workweek. No state overtime statute; FLSA governs.
Run the math — including the tipped-overtime trap — with the tipped overtime calculator.
Meal & rest breaks#
Meal breaks: Not required by Idaho law for adult employees — No state meal or rest break requirement for any age group.. Federal law requires only that breaks under 20 minutes, if offered, be paid.
Rest breaks: Not required by Idaho law.
Scheduling & premium pay#
- Reporting-time pay: None required by state law.
- Split-shift premium: None.
- Spread of hours: None.
Service charges & gratuities#
Idaho has no service-charge-specific statute — the federal tip/service-charge line (and IRS treatment) controls. Background: service charges, auto-gratuities & resort fees.
Pay administration#
- Pay frequency: At least monthly on regular paydays (Idaho Code §45-608).
- Wage statements: Employers must furnish an itemized statement of all deductions for each pay period on request/at payment (Idaho Code §45-609) — flagged: requirement is deduction-focused, not a full pay-stub mandate. (Idaho Code §45-609)
- Exempt salary floor: $684.00/week (federal) — No state EAP salary floor; federal $684/week applies (DOL's 2024 increase was vacated and DOL reverted).
- Lodging credit: Federal FLSA §3(m) reasonable-cost board/lodging standards apply; relevant for resort-town employee housing (Sun Valley, McCall).
Idaho Code §44-1502(2) (2016) bars political subdivisions from setting minimum wages above the state rate, so resort towns cannot adopt local wages. Practical hotel rates in resort markets are market-driven well above $7.25; the $3.35 tipped floor still governs tip-credit math.
Official sources#
- Idaho Department of Labor
- US DOL Wage and Hour Division
- US DOL minimum wages for tipped employees table (ID $3.35 cash) (accessed 2026-06-12)
- US DOL consolidated state minimum wage table (accessed 2026-06-12)