What employers in South Carolina must do
Checked November 8, 2026From the agencies that run each program
Short answer
Most employers in South Carolina must pay at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour; South Carolina doesn’t set a higher one.
South Carolina has no state paid family and medical leave insurance program.
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South Carolina requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Status | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | In effect | $7.25 an hour |
Pay rules South Carolina employers must follow
- Paydays
- No set frequency. Employers with 5 or more employees must tell new hires in writing (or by a posted notice) when and where they will be paid, and give 7 days’ written notice of changes.
- Final paycheck, fired
- Within 48 hours or by the next regular payday, but no later than 30 days.
- Final paycheck, quit
- Within 48 hours or by the next regular payday, but no later than 30 days.
- Meal breaks
- No state requirement for adults.
- Rest breaks
- No state requirement for adults.
- Overtime
- Follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rule: time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek. We found no separate state overtime rule.
- New hire reporting
- Within 20 days of the first day of work, to the South Carolina Department of Social Services
From the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and the U.S. Department of Labor’s state tables, checked November 7, 2026.
Upcoming South Carolina deadlines
No dated South Carolina deadlines on file right now. Federal year-end filings still apply.
Deadline calendar for every state · How to hire your first employee · Employer law changes for 2027 · All states
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (no state minimum wage agency)
- State Payday Requirements (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
- Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
- Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements Under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
- Payment of Wages FAQ, South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (read Nov 8, 2026)
- S.C. Code Title 41, Chapter 10, Payment of Wages, South Carolina Legislature (read Nov 8, 2026)
- SC New Hire, South Carolina Department of Social Services, Child Support Services Division (read Nov 8, 2026)