The Georgia Minimum Wage and Overtime Laws specifically set how much and when a worker must be paid.
The laws are set forth by state statute and non-exempt employers must comply with these laws. There are numerous exceptions to these laws based upon the type of employment, the classification of the job, the type and manner of compensation, and the size of the employer. There are also federal wage laws pursuant to the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that also set forth pay requirements from employers.
Georgia Overtime Pay Laws
While this issue is generally not addressed by the laws in this state, there is a provision that prohibits a public employer from requiring that a public employee or applicant agree, as a term and condition of employment, not to receive time and one-half overtime compensation for overtime hours.
However, federal overtime pay laws may apply. The FLSA creates two classifications of employees for purpose of minimum wage rates and overtime.
The two classifications of employees are exempt (employers do not need to pay the mandated minimum wage amount as long as the statutory exemption requirements are met) and non-exempt (employees under the age of 20 may be paid not less than $4.25 per hour for the first ninety (90) consecutive calendar days of employment.
If employees received tips as part of their wages, they must be paid a minimum of $2.13 per hour and their total wages (wages + tips) must be equal or greater than the standard minimum wage rate.
If your work involves manual labor such as: construction worker, factory attendant, or cashier, you are probably protected under overtime law. All first-responders, including police, paramedics, and firefighters, are specifically offered overtime protection under the FLSA. To find out if your job is exempt or non-exempt for overtime pay laws visit http://www.minimum-wage.org/overtime/georgia for additional information.
Georgia Minimum Wage Laws
The Georgia minimum wage law provides that all covered employees will be paid a minimum of $5.15 per hour, while tipped employees are not covered by the state minimum wage laws, so the feral law applies.
An employer must also comply with federal minimum wage laws, which currently sets the federal minimum wage at $7.25.
If an employer chooses to pay employees minimum wage, the employer must pay those employees in accordance with the minimum wage law, either federal or state, that results in the employees being paid the higher wage. In most instance in Georgia, the federal minimum wage law will apply as it generally guarantees a higher wage rate for employees than state law.
Additionally, Georgia does not require employers to provide lunch or rest breaks. However, you are entitled to be paid if you have to do any work during a break (for example, if you have to cover the phones while you eat lunch). And, generally, you are entitled to be paid for any short breaks (five to 20 minutes) your employer provides; this time is considered part of your work day.
Click here for more information on Minimum Wage Laws.
Georgia Minimum Wage & Overtime Laws Resource
An excellent resource for information is the Georgia Department of Labor website.
Largest Cities in Georgia Providing Jobs
The ten largest cities in the State of Georgia provide jobs and income to both their own residents and those from outside communities. These include jobs in both public sector and private sector. The cities are listed below:
- Atlanta
- Columbus
- Augusta
- Savannah
- Athens
- Sandy Springs
- Macon
- Johns Creek
- Warner Robins
- Alpharetta
Commonly Asked Georgia Overtime Pay Questions
You probably have questions about the overtime pay laws. Our legal team will answer all of your questions and concerns, including:
- How much is overtime pay?
- Am I entitled to overtime pay?
- Does Georgia have mandatory overtime laws?
- What is the minimum wage and hour law?
- When is overtime owed?
- What is the overtime rate?
- How do I get my unpaid overtime pay?
Free Legal Advice For Georgia Unpaid Overtime Pay Claims
If you were not paid the required minimum wage pay or overtime pay, you have the legal right to pursue a wage claim against the past or present employer. There are strict time deadlines so you should contact our unpaid overtime lawyers today to determine whether you are owed unpaid wages. We will represent you on a No Win, No Fee basis so there are no legal fees or expenses unless we recover your unpaid lost wages for you.
To file a Georgia wage law claim, you should contact our highly qualified overtime lawyers today at (855) 754-2795 for a free, no obligation Case Review. You can also complete the Free Unpaid Overtime Case Review box on this page and an experienced attorney will contact you shortly.
Georgia Overtime Pay Lawyers Review
