labor lawAdivision of labor law center

 On July 24, 2008, when the federal minimum wage increased to $6.55 per hour, the Oklahoma state minimum wage increased, too. The state law for the Oklahoma minimum wage doesn’t even contain a dollar amount, but merely requires the state to match the federal minimum wage.

The increase in the federal minimum wage was the second in a series of three 70-cent increased mandated by the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. The next increase in the federal minimum wage will occur on July 24, 2009, so the Oklahoma state minimum wage will increase on that date, as well.

The state minimum wage, according to the Oklahoma Department of Labor, applies to companies with at least 10 full-time workers in a single location. Also covered by the state minimum wage law are companies with annual revenue of $100,000 or more, no matter how many workers they employ.

The Oklahoma law excludes a number of employees from the state minimum wage. These employees are found in a wide range of industries, including charitable or non-profit organizations, domestic service in private homes, agriculture and newspaper distribution.

In addition, any Oklahoma employer covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act or FLSA is exempt from the stae minimum wage law. The FLSA is the primary statute covering the federal minimum wage, and applies to companies that have revenue over $500,000 per year. The FLSA also covers any business that engages in interstate commerce.

Another exemption under Oklahoma minimum wage law refers to companies with fewer than 10 workers and annual earnings of less than $100,000. This exemption is not well known, but it allows smaller companies to pay as little as $2.00 per hour.

Oklahoma employees who work less than 25 hours per week are also exempt from the state minimum wage. A number of salaried employees including managers, professionals, outside salespeople and executives are exempt from both federal and Oklahoma minimum wage laws.

No overtime law extists at the state level for Oklahoma employees. Instead, most employers must pay 1.5 times the usual hourly rate to employees when they work more than 40 hours per week, under federal law.

 

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1. Posted by: anthony campbell

   what are the guideline for over 40hr weel work are employers requiered to pay overtime.and should what they are paying hourly be on your pay check stub. thank you for this imfo.

2. Posted by: Amelia

   Hi anthony! The gudelines for Oklahoma employers depend on whether they are covered by state or federal law. Under the Oklahoma minimum wage law, an employer must pay at least $7.25 per hour. However, that law only covers employers with 10 or more workers, or employers with revenue of $100,000 or more each year. There is no state overtime law in Oklahoma.

   Federal law applies to employers with annual revenue of $500,000 or more, and to employees who engage in interstate commerce like answering phones or processing credit card payments. Under federal law, the employer must provide a pay check stub that details the hours worked and hourly rate. In addition, federal law requires that employees be paid overtime when they work more than 40 hours in the payroll week.

   Our mail leads us to believe that many smaller employers in Oklahoma do not pay overtime. Sadly, this is legal. HTH, and thanks for reading the blogs!~ Amelia