Louisiana Labor Laws (2025 Guide)

What’s New in 2025

• Changes to unemployment insurance benefits

Labor Law Posters

Federal Labor Law Posters
State Labor Law Posters

Wage and Hour Laws

Minimum Wage

Louisiana hasn’t enacted any specific state law regarding wages, so employers must follow the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The minimum wage for employees in Louisiana is the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. 

Local governments are prohibited from enacting their own local minimum wages.

The FLSA allows employers in Louisiana to pay employees under 20 years old a temporary lower youth minimum wage. An employer can pay the youth minimum wage of $4.25 per hour only for the first 90 consecutive days from the youth employee’s first day of work. If an employee receiving the youth minimum wage turns 20, their employer must pay them the federal minimum wage or more.

Some Louisiana employers can use the federal full-time student program, which allows them to pay students 85% of the federal minimum wage ($6.16 per hour). This is limited to certain students employed in retail or service establishments, agriculture, and higher education institutions. Employers need a certificate from the Department of Labor (DOL) for each employee they intend to hire under the program. Student employees on the full-time student program are limited to working up to 8 hours a day and 20 hours a week during the school week (40 hours a week when school’s not in session).

Other employees exempt from the minimum wage include:

• Farmworkers on small farms.
• Seasonal employees in amusement and recreational establishments.
• Casual babysitters.
• Outside salespeople.

This list isn’t all-inclusive, and there are specific conditions that must be met for exemption. See the DOL website for a list of all exempt employees.

Tipped Minimum Wage

Employers can pay tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips per month the federal tipped minimum wage. This is $2.13 per hour. However, employers can pay this only when the employee’s tips combined with the tipped minimum wage equal at least the minimum wage. If this amounts to less than $7.25, the employer must make up the difference.

Overtime Laws

Overtime rules in Louisiana follow the FLSA. Employees must be paid 1.5 times their regular hourly wage for all hours in excess of 40 hours in a week.

FLSA overtime exemptions apply to certain types of employees, including:

• Executive, administrative, and professional employees.
• Vehicle salespeople on commission.
• Live-in domestic service workers.
• Movie theatre employees.

Some employees are partially exempt from overtime pay. For the full list and conditions, visit the DOL website.

Break Laws

Meal and Rest Breaks

There are no Louisiana state laws regarding meal breaks for adults. 

Louisiana state law mandates meal breaks for employees under 16. Employers must give under-16s a break of at least 30 minutes within any 5-hour work period. The break must be within the work period—not following it. This break doesn’t count as working hours and doesn’t have to be paid. There’s some flexibility: 

• Under-16s can work up to 5 hours 10 minutes without violating the break law.
• Breaks less than 30 minutes but more than 20 minutes are acceptable.

When FLSA-covered employers provide breaks, they must follow federal law. This means paying employees for any breaks shorter than 20 minutes. Longer breaks don’t need to be paid.

Recordkeeping Requirements

Under Louisiana law, employers must keep accurate employee records. Records must contain:

• Names.
• Addresses.
• Occupations.
• Daily and weekly hours worked.
• Wages paid for each pay period.
• Meal breaks (for employees under 16 only).

Employers must retain these records for at least 1 year from the date they were created.

Scheduling Laws

Louisiana doesn’t have any fair or predictive scheduling laws that mandate advance notice of schedules, compensation for changes to schedules made on short notice, or other common components of scheduling laws.

Employee Compensation and Benefits

Reporting Time Pay

Louisiana labor law doesn’t enforce reporting time pay. If employees in Louisiana arrive to work only to find there’s no work for them, they’re not entitled to pay. Generally, employers need to pay employees only for the time they work.

Payday Frequency and Method

There’s no general state law specifying payday frequency or method. However, some employers are bound by Louisiana law:

• Private employers of 10 or more employees in mining and manufacturing industries must pay employees every 2 weeks.
• If the employer doesn’t establish paydays, they must pay employees on or as near as possible to the 1st and 16th days of the month.

Employers must inform each new and returning employee in writing of their:

• Wage rate.
• Pay frequency.
• Method of payment.

Employers must post the Timely Payment of Wages notice in the workplace to inform employees of this requirement.

Employees can report employers that violate this rule to the Office of Workforce Development within the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

Pay Stub Requirements

Louisiana doesn’t mandate pay stubs. 

Wage Deductions and Garnishments

State law prohibits the deduction of fines from employee wages.

Employers can deduct from an employee’s wages to recover: 

• The cost of willfully damaged goods or property.
• Funds in cases where the employee has been convicted of theft.

No state law addresses wage garnishments in general, so federal garnishment limits apply to wage garnishments for federal taxes, child support, student loans, and other court-ordered debts.

Employers mustn’t withhold more than whichever of the following amounts is less:

• 25% of an employee’s disposable earnings, or—
• The amount where the employee’s disposable earnings are more than 30 times the federal minimum wage.. 

Federal law also prohibits employers from terminating employees because their wages are being garnished for a single debt.

Final Paycheck Laws

Louisiana employers must pay employees’ final wages on or before the next regular payday or within 15 days—whichever comes first. This rule is the same regardless of the circumstances of their employment ending.

Workers’ Compensation

In Louisiana, workers’ compensation insurance is administered by the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) and mandatory for employers.

Employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance to cover employees who can’t work because of work-related illnesses and injuries, both physical and mental. 

Most employers obtain coverage from the non-profit Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation (LWCC). Alternative options are private insurers, group insurance funds, and self-insurance.

Most employees are covered, bar a few exceptions:

• Employees of private residential households.
• Employees of private unincorporated farms.
• Musicians and performers working under a performance contract.
• Corporate officers, partners, LLC members, and sole proprietors who opt out.
• Licensed real estate brokers and salespeople operating under a licensed broker.
• Landmen who work under an independent or lead broker landman in the mineral exploration and development business.

Workers’ compensation is paid no matter who’s at fault, except in some limited situations when the employee:

• Intended to harm themselves.
• Was intoxicated when injured, and their intoxication wasn’t in pursuit of the employer’s interest or encouragement.
• Was injured due to being the physical aggressor in a physical altercation.

To claim workers’ compensation, employees must notify their employer within 30 days of injury or illness. Once notified, employers must file a First Report of Injury or Illness form with their insurer within 10 days.

To dispute a worker’s compensation decision, employees must file a Disputed Claim for Compensation form with the Administration.

Unemployment Insurance

Unemployment insurance is administered by the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

Employers must have an Unemployment Tax Account Number (EAN) and be registered with the Louisiana Wage and Tax System (LAWATS). Businesses must file wage reports, pay UI taxes, and conduct other UI tax business through this system. 

Employers without an EAN can apply for one online.

To claim unemployment insurance in Louisiana, employees must:

• Be unemployed through no fault of their own.
• Have earned enough wages in their “base period” (the first 4 of the last 5 quarters before filing their claim).
• Be available for work and able to go to work each day.
• Contact at least 3 different employers about work each week (unless they have a definite return-to-work date).
• Keep records of their work searches and results.
• File weekly claims to continue their benefits.

The state sets a minimum weekly amount of $35 and a maximum of $275. The amount an individual gets within this range is based on their base period earnings. 

Benefits are paid weekly by debit card or direct deposit. 

Unemployment benefits used to be paid up to 26 weeks. However, new claims from January 1, 2025, last a maximum of 12 to 20 weeks. The length of payment is based on Louisiana’s unemployment rate at the time of filing.

Claimants enrolled in approved training programs may be able to claim up to 8 additional weeks of benefits.

Workplace Rights and Protections

Discrimination and Harassment

In Louisiana, state laws protect unlawful workplace discrimination and harassment alongside federal laws, including the Civil Rights Act (CRA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA).

Federal anti-discrimination laws apply to employers with 15 or more employees—or 20+ employees for age discrimination. These laws prohibit discrimination based on:

• Race.
• Color.
• Religion.
• Sex, including transgender status.
• Sexual orientation. 
• Pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions.
• National origin.
• Age (40 or older).
• Disability.
• Genetic information.

Louisiana’s anti-discrimination laws provide similar protections to federal law and expand on them by including protection for sickle cell traits. State-level protections apply only to employers of 20 or more employees (25+ employees for cases involving pregnancy and childbirth).

Complaints under state laws must be filed with the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights (LCHR) within 180 days of the discriminatory act occurring.

Violations of federal discrimination laws must be filed with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) within 300 days.

Employers shouldn’t retaliate against employees who make discrimination complaints.

Remedies for employees who’ve been discriminated against in Louisiana include reinstatement, back pay, and other reasonable accommodations.

Leave Laws

❌ Family and Medical Leave	Louisiana doesn’t have its own family and medical leave plan. It follows the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations, which apply to employers of 50+ workers.  FMLA gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in each 12-month period for: • Recovering from a serious health condition. • Caring for a baby within its first year. • The placement of an adopted or foster child within a year.  • Looking after a seriously unwell child, spouse, or parent. • “Qualifying exigencies” when their spouse, child, or parent is on covered active duty. To be eligible, employees must’ve been employed for at least 12 months and logged a minimum of 1,250 hours’ work the previous year. The FMLA also entitles employees to 26 weeks of military caregiver leave to care for a spouse, parent, or child who’s a seriously ill or injured service member.
❌ Paid Sick Leave (limited)	Louisiana doesn’t mandate paid sick leave for private employers.  If employers choose to offer paid sick leave as part of their benefits package, they must abide by any policies and agreements they establish regarding its use.
❌ Paid Family Leave	There’s no requirement for paid family leave in Louisiana. However, eligible employees can request unpaid leave for some types of family leave under the FMLA.
✅ Pregnancy and Parental Leave	Under Louisiana’s Pregnancy and Childbirth Nondiscrimination Law (PCNL), employers of over 25 employees must give employees up to 6 weeks of maternity leave. Employees who are “disabled” by pregnancy or childbirth may be entitled to up to 4 months’ leave. Employers may require reasonable notice for this leave. Private employers are subject to the FMLA, which entitles employees to 12 weeks’ unpaid leave in a 12-month period following the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
❌ Vacation and Personal Leave	Vacation and personal leave isn’t required under Louisiana law. Employers that decide to provide vacation and personal leave—paid or unpaid—must comply with all relevant terms in company policies and employment agreements.

Other Mandatory Leave

School and Daycare Leave	Employees in Louisiana are entitled to up to 16 hours unpaid school and daycare leave in any 12-month period. Before requesting this leave, employees should try to schedule school and daycare events that need their participation during non-work hours.
Military Leave	Employees who are called to serve in the uniformed services are entitled to unpaid leave and reinstatement to their jobs. Employees must give written or verbal notice of their intention to take military leave in advance. (No advance notification is needed in certain circumstances.)
Jury Duty Leave	Employers must give employees leave to serve on jury duty. Employees who are called to serve on a state petit, grand jury, or central jury pool must be given up to 1 day of paid leave. Employers who fail to provide this leave can be fined $100 to $500 and required to pay the employee their day’s wages. Employers shouldn’t dismiss or take adverse action against employees called to serve or presently serving jury duty.
Bone Marrow Donor Leave	Employers must grant paid leave for employees to donate bone marrow if: • The employee works at least 20 hours a week. • The employer has at least 20 employees. The maximum length of paid bone marrow leave is 40 work hours. Employers can provide it in addition to other types of paid leave.
Emergency Response Leave	Under state law, employers must give employees who perform the duties of first responders unpaid leave. First responders should notify employers when they’re called to service as soon as possible, and inform them of how long it’s expected to last. Upon completion of their duties, they must be reinstated (to their prior or comparable role) if they report to their employer within 72 hours of release. Employers whose circumstances have changed to such an extent that reinstatement would impose undue hardship on them or the employee may be excused from this rule. Employees who don’t inform employers within the 72-hour period can be deemed to have voluntarily resigned. Certified volunteer firefighters shouldn’t be denied “leave, work-related benefits, or employment” for missing work to respond to life- or property-threatening emergencies.

Child Labor Laws

The general minimum working age in Louisiana is 14.

All workers in Louisiana under 18 must have a certificate to work. Employers hiring under-18s must complete the appropriate section of the Application to Employ Minors Under Age 18 form. The minor then submits this to their school board office to get their certificate.

Minors aged 12 and 13 can work in very limited situations. The employing business must be owned or partly owned by the minor’s legal guardian, and the minor must work under their direct supervision. Working 12- and 13-year-olds have the same employment restrictions and protections as 14- and 15-year-olds.

Child Work Time Laws

No minor under 16 can work more than 8 hours a day, 6 consecutive days a week, and 40 hours in any week. 

Full-time students with DOL certificates shouldn’t work more than 8 hours a day and 20 hours a week during school weeks. During holidays, they can work up to 40 hours a week. For information on the DOL student certification process, see the Minimum Wage section above.

Minors aged 14 and 15 are restricted to:

• Maximum 3 hours’ work on school days, and 18 hours in school weeks.
• Maximum 8 hours’ work on non-school days, and maximum 40 hours in non-school weeks.
• Mustn’t work between 7:00 pm and 7:00 am—except from June 1 through Labor Day when hours extend to 9:00 pm. (This doesn’t apply to minors working in the dairy industry.) 

Minors aged 16 can’t work between 11:00 pm and 5:00 am on nights before any school day. Seventeen-year-olds mustn’t work between 12:00 am and 5:00 am on nights preceding school days.

Employers must give all minors a 30-minute unpaid meal break during every 5-hour work period.

Prohibited Employment

Louisiana law prohibits under-18s from work that can be physically, emotionally, or morally hazardous. The full list is exhaustive and includes employment involving the manufacture of explosives, logging operations, and working with alcoholic beverages.

Further state legislation prohibits minors under 16 from working:

• In pool and billiard halls.
• With power-driven machinery.
• In manufacturing, mechanical, and processing occupations.
• In goods and message-delivering businesses.
• In any other occupation with a 16+ minimum working age.

Child Entertainers

Minors under 16 can work in theatrical productions, including traveling theatre companies, provided:

• They participate in a maximum of 8 performances per week. (During national and state holidays, 9 weekly performances are permitted.)
• The theatre manager has obtained a Blanket Permit to Employ Minors in the Entertainment Industry from the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
• The minor has a certificate from their state or city of residence permitting their appearance in theatrical performances.

Workplace Safety and Health

Louisiana hasn’t enacted its own workplace safety and health laws, so private employers must comply with federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) standards.

Under OSHA, employers must:

• Ensure safe, hazard-free workplaces.
• Comply with OSHA standards and regulations.
• Train employees on safety in a language employees understand.
• Keep illness and injury records.
• Inform OSHA of fatalities within 8 hours.
• Inform OSHA of serious injuries and inpatient hospitalizations within 24 hours.
• Correctly post the required OSHA posters.

Employees have the right to file confidential reports on OSHA violations. Employees in Louisiana can file complaints online or by contacting the OSHA Baton Rouge Area Office.

Employers are barred from retaliating against employees, and the consequences for retaliation are harsh.

Labor Union Regulations

Louisiana is a right-to-work state. Employers can’t force employees to join or pay dues to a union as a condition of their employment.

Employment Contracts and Severance

Employment Contract Laws

Louisiana is an at-will employment state, which means that both employers and employees can end the employment relationship at any time for any legal reason.

If the employer has entered into a written contract or collective bargaining agreement that sets termination conditions, they must honor the terms within it.

Louisiana recognizes and enforces restrictive covenants that:

• Protect a legitimate business interest.
• Don’t place undue hardship on the employee.
• Don’t violate public policy.

Non-compete agreements must be reasonable in duration up to a maximum of 2 years after termination—and limited to a specific geographic area.

Severance Pay

Louisiana doesn’t mandate the payment of severance pay. Where employers choose to provide severance in an employment contract or employer policy, they must comply with those terms.

Additional State-Specific Employment Laws

Employers in Louisiana are also subject to the following labor regulations.

Independent Contractor Classification	Louisiana’s labor law defines an independent contractor as someone who meets at least 6 of the following: • Operates an independent business providing services. • Markets their services as self-employment to others. • Accepts responsibility for their own tax obligations. • Has the required licenses or other authorization for their work. • Isn’t on the employer’s health, worker’s compensation, or unemployment insurance plans. • Has the right to accept or decline requests for work and can work for other businesses. • Controls their work schedule. • Provides their own tools or equipment for their work. • Is paid a fixed rate or per contract, not a salary. • Is responsible for their own expenses (except by contract or industry standard). • Can hire and manage assistants. Intentional misrepresentation of an employee as an independent contractor can incur fines of $500 per misclassification, company sanctions, and up to 90 days’ jail time.
Breastfeeding Mothers	Louisiana law permits mothers to breastfeed in any public place, which includes most workplaces. Following federal law (FLSA), employers must provide breaks and a private space for mothers to pump or breastfeed.
Workplace Drug Testing	Employers in Louisiana are allowed to test employees for the presence of certain drugs. The state gives employers considerable freedom in setting workplace drug testing policies, and allows: • Pre-employment testing (some industry-specific exceptions). • Random testing. • Post-incident testing. • Reasonable suspicion of employee being under the influence testing. Employers must: • Notify employees when drug testing is a required part of the employment selection process. • Use only certified laboratories 1) when testing for marijuana, opioids, cocaine, amphetamines, and phencyclidine and 2) if the results have the potential for negative employment consequences. • Keep drug test results confidential (only disclosing them to third parties for administrative, disciplinary, or civil litigation proceedings). • Provide copies of positive drug test results and records to employees within 7 days of a written request. Louisiana law protects employers from liability for defamation, libel, slander, and invasion of privacy resulting from lawful drug testing.

Legal Resources for Employers and Employees

For more information on Louisiana employment laws, consider the following resources:

• Louisiana Workforce Commission: State agency with resources on employment for employers and employees (previously called Louisiana Department of Labor).
• Louisiana State University Law Library: A publicly accessible library containing Louisiana labor law statutes and case law.
• Southeast Louisiana Legal Services: Non-profit organization that provides free and low-cost legal assistance to eligible residents of southeastern Louisiana.

Disclaimer

The information presented on this website about labor laws in Louisiana is a summary for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. However, laws and regulations regularly change and may vary depending on individual circumstances. While we have made every effort to ensure the information provided is up to date and reliable, we cannot guarantee its completeness, accuracy, or applicability to your specific situation. Therefore, we strongly recommend that readers seek guidance from their legal department or a qualified attorney to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Please note that we cannot be held liable for any actions taken or not taken based on the information presented on this website.