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The Mandate Monitor

What employers in Tennessee must do

Checked November 8, 2026From the agencies that run each program

Short answer

Most employers in Tennessee must pay at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour; Tennessee doesn’t set a higher one.

Tennessee has no state paid family and medical leave insurance program.

Running payroll in Tennessee? See the do-it-yourself route and list prices for the 8 payroll systems that say they file payroll taxes.

Tennessee requirements at a glance

RequirementStatusWhat it means for you
Minimum wageIn effect$7.25 an hour

Pay rules Tennessee employers must follow

Paydays
At least once a month. Employers with 5 or more employees must set regular paydays, and wages are due by set dates after the pay period ends. Since July 1, 2026, employers paying once a month have until the last day of the next month for piece-work or commission pay.
Final paycheck, fired
By the next regular payday or 21 days after leaving, whichever is later. Piece-work or commission pay earned on or after July 1, 2026 is due by the last day of the month after the employee leaves.
Final paycheck, quit
By the next regular payday or 21 days after leaving, whichever is later. Piece-work or commission pay earned on or after July 1, 2026 is due by the last day of the month after the employee leaves.
Meal breaks
30-minute unpaid meal or rest break for employees scheduled 6 hours in a row, unless the work itself allows ample chances to rest.
Rest breaks
No other breaks required.
Overtime
Follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rule: time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek. No separate state overtime rule.
New hire reporting
Within 20 days of hire, to the Tennessee New Hire Reporting Program

From the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the U.S. Department of Labor’s state tables, checked November 8, 2026.

What changed in Tennessee

  1. · Took effect

    Tennessee sets a later due date for piece-work and commission pay

    Tennessee Public Chapter 617 took effect July 1, 2026, for wages earned on or after that date. For employers that pay once a month, piece-work and commission pay is now due by the last day of the next month instead of the 5th. The same pay owed to an employee who quits or is fired is due by the last day of the month after they leave.

Every change, newest first

Upcoming Tennessee deadlines

No dated Tennessee 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

  1. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (no state minimum wage agency)
  2. State Payday Requirements (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
  3. 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)
  4. 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)
  5. Wages and Breaks, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (read Nov 8, 2026)
  6. Reporting Fundamentals, Tennessee New Hire Reporting Program (read Nov 7, 2026)
  7. Public Chapter 362 (House Bill 419), 2017: wages due at least once a month, Tennessee Secretary of State (read Nov 8, 2026)
  8. Public Chapter 617 (Senate Bill 2024), effective July 1, 2026: piece-work and commission pay, Tennessee Secretary of State (read Nov 8, 2026)
  9. House Bill 1958 / Senate Bill 2024: bill summary, Tennessee General Assembly (read Nov 8, 2026)
  10. Should I be paid overtime?, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (read Nov 8, 2026)