Rhode Island Labor Laws (2026 Guide)

What’s New in 2026

• Minimum wage increase
• Mandatory new hire notice requirement
• Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI) expands
• Changes to the Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) wage base and contribution rate

Labor Law Posters

Federal labor law posters
State labor law posters

Wage and Hour Laws

Minimum wage

On January 1, 2026, the state minimum wage rose to $16 per hour. 

However, Rhode Island employers may still pay certain workers less than this in some circumstances:

• The minimum wage for full-time students under 19 working for nonprofit educational, librarial, community, or religious service organizations is 90% of the state minimum wage, currently $14.40 an hour.
• Minors aged 14 and 15 who work up to 24 hours a week can be paid $12 per hour in 2026—75% of the state minimum. However, 14- and 15-year-olds who work more than 24 hours in a week are entitled to the state minimum wage for all hours worked during that week.
• Other exceptions exist regarding resorts that open part of the year and workers who are working for their immediate family.

The next planned increase is January 1, 2027, when the state minimum will rise to $17 per hour.

Tipped minimum wage

Employers can pay tipped employees Rhode Island’s tipped minimum wage of $3.89 per hour ($12.11 less than the state minimum) if:

• The employee “customarily and regularly” receives more than $30 in tips per month.
• When the employee’s tips are combined with the tipped wage, their total earnings equal or exceed the state minimum wage ($16 per hour). If it totals less than the state minimum, the employer must make up the difference.

When customers tip via credit card, employers must transfer the tip to the employee on the next scheduled payday or earlier. Rhode Island law prohibits employers from retaining any portion of a tipped employee’s tips. However, employers may subtract a percentage of tips to cover credit card providers’ fees.

Overtime laws

In general, employers must pay workers 1.5 times their regular hourly rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Employers can’t average out hours worked over 2 weeks to avoid paying overtime.

State law also requires employers to pay employees 1.5 times their regular rate for work done on Sundays and holidays. However, there are some exceptions to these Sunday and holiday pay requirements: 

• For employees of retail establishments, hours worked on Sundays and holidays that are already paid at time-and-a-half don’t count toward overtime calculations.
• Certain manufacturers that operate 3 shifts don’t have to pay time-and-a-half for the first hour of shifts that begin at 11:00 pm on Sundays.
• All employees of taxi companies and chauffeur-driven limousines are exempt from the time-and-a-half rule.
• Car rental companies that have a contract with the Rhode Island Airport Corporation to operate on Sundays aren’t required to pay time-and-a-half.

There are also exceptions to the state’s general overtime regulations: 

• Rhode Island firefighters must receive the overtime rate (1.5 times their regular rate) for all hours worked over 42 hours a week. Firefighters’ hours worked include time they’re on paid leave.
• Employers can’t use the fluctuating workweek method (an overtime calculation method under the FLSA) to calculate overtime pay for delivery drivers and sales merchandisers.

In addition, the following employees don’t have to be paid the overtime rate under state law:

• Employees of summer camps that open only 6 months of the year.
• Police officers and certain state employees.
• Salaried employees of nonprofit national health voluntary agencies who choose to receive compensatory time off instead of overtime pay.
• Employees whose work is subject to maximum work hours set by the United States Secretary of Transportation.
• Executive, administrative, and professional employees as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), unless their hourly wage is below the state minimum when calculated on an hourly basis.
• Salespeople, parts staff, and mechanics who sell or service vehicles (including farm equipment) for non-manufacturing businesses—but only if their actual weekly earnings are greater than what they’d receive at their hourly rate for 40 hours plus 1.5 times their hourly rate for each hour worked beyond 40.
• Certain agricultural employees and nursery workers.
• Air carrier employees who are subject to the Railway Labor Act if their overtime hours result from trading shifts with their coworkers.

Pay equality

Under Rhode Island’s Pay Equality Act, employers may pay employees different rates for comparable work only on the basis of fair, non-discriminatory factors such as merit, seniority, quality and quantity of work, geographic location, and experience.

The pay equality law also prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their wages with other workers.

New hire notices

From January 1, 2026, upon hire, Rhode Island employers must give employees a written notification containing the following:

• The employee’s employment status
• The employee’s minimum wage and overtime eligibility
• The employee’s pay rate and calculation method
• The employee’s payday and date or first paycheck
• Any allowances, e.g., for food and transport
• A list of deductions the employer makes from pay
• The employer’s legal name and business details

Employees must sign this notice, and employers must keep it for at least 3 years. Because the law applies only to new hires, employers don’t need to notify employees hired before January 1, 2026.

Break Laws

Meal and rest breaks

Rhode Island law requires unpaid mealtime breaks for most employees as follows:

• A 20-minute break is required for shifts of 6 hours or more 
• A 30-minute break is required for shifts of 8 hours or more 

Certain licensed healthcare facilities and employers of fewer than 3 workers aren’t covered by this law. However, employers must still comply with federal law and pay FLSA-covered employees for any breaks they provide that are shorter than 20 minutes.

Some employees, such as those with pregnancy and menopause-related conditions, are entitled to more frequent breaks under the state Fair Employment Practices Act.

Recordkeeping Requirements

Rhode Island law requires employers to keep accurate employee records containing the following:

• Names
• Addresses
• Positions
• Rates of pay
• Wages paid during each pay period 
• Hours worked each day and week during each pay period 
• Pay statements 
• Certificates of age and permits for child employees

Rhode Island law requires employers to maintain accurate records of employees’ hours worked and wages paid. These records must be kept in a form prescribed by the Director of Labor and Training and retained for at least 3 years from the date of entry.

Anti-discrimination laws may impose additional recordkeeping requirements.

Scheduling Laws

Rhode Island doesn’t have any specific predictive scheduling laws requiring employers to provide advance notice of schedules or compensate employees when they make last-minute schedule changes. 

However, the state has enacted laws giving employees the right to flexible scheduling for pregnancy-related reasons, if they’re disabled, and for employees experiencing menopause-related conditions.

There are also some rules regarding Sunday and holiday schedules:

• Employees generally can’t be discharged or otherwise penalized for refusing to work on these days. An exception applies to manufacturers that operate 7 days per week.
• Work performed on Sundays and legal holidays must generally be compensated at 1.5 times the employee’s regular rate of pay, subject to applicable exemptions.

Employee Compensation and Benefits

Reporting time pay

If an employer requires or permits an employee to report for work but doesn’t provide at least 3 hours of work, the employee must generally be paid an amount equal to at least 3 hours at their regular hourly rate. This requirement doesn’t apply when the employer and employee voluntarily agree to a shift of less than 3 hours.

Full-time students at colleges in Rhode Island who work for the college they attend aren’t covered by this law. If they report to work for a scheduled shift and there’s no work, the college must pay them for the number of hours their shift should’ve lasted.

Payday frequency and method

Employees who are paid by the hour must usually be paid weekly. 

Employers can apply to the Director of Labor and Training for permission to pay wages every 2 weeks.

Paystub requirements

Rhode Island law requires employers to provide each worker with a written statement of earnings every payday. Payday statements must contain:

• Hours worked during the applicable pay period.
• Any wage deductions.
• Reasons for wage deductions.
• A record of their hourly rate of pay (employees of commercial construction organizations only).

Employers may provide this statement in digital form. Employees can authorize their employer to deliver their statements in paper form, as a printed or handwritten statement.

Wage deductions and garnishments

Employers may make deductions from employees’ wages when required or authorized by federal or Rhode Island law. Common examples include:

• Federal income tax withholding
• Rhode Island income tax withholding
• Social Security and Medicare taxes (FICA)
• Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) and Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI) contributions

Employees may give written consent to deductions for charitable donations, voluntary retirement contributions, and union dues. Employers must get each employee’s freely given, clearly stated, and revocable consent to do this lawfully.

Employers in Rhode Island can withhold part of an employee’s salary if a court has issued a judgment for wage garnishment. State law allows employers to charge employees a $5 processing fee for each wage garnishment order they receive.

The federal Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA) limits the amount of an employee’s earnings that can be garnished, regardless of how many garnishment orders the employee has. Maximum garnishment amounts are based on workers’ weekly disposable earnings—what’s left of their wages once all legal deductions have been made.

The maximum amount that can be garnished is the lesser of:

• 25% of the employees’ weekly disposable earnings.
• The amount where the employees’ weekly disposable earnings exceed 30x the federal minimum wage (currently $217.50).

Garnishments for bankruptcy, child support, and taxes are governed by federal law.

Final paycheck laws

Employers must comply with specific Rhode Island rules regarding final paychecks.

When an employee resigns or is terminated, employers must pay all unpaid wages on or before their next regular payday following separation.

Employees who’ve been with the same employer for at least a year are entitled to:

• A monetary payout for any unused, accrued vacation time.
• Receive their final wages within 24 hours if their employer’s business is liquidated, merged, sold, or moved out of state.

Workers’ Compensation

Under Rhode Island’s workers’ compensation law, all employers that regularly employ 1 or more employees must carry workers’ compensation insurance.

There’s only a narrow list of workers who aren’t required to have workers’ compensation coverage in Rhode Island:

• Domestic service workers
• Certain farm laborers and nursery employees
• Licensed real estate brokers and salespeople paid on commission
• Independent contractors, as defined for workers’ compensation purposes by state law 

In Rhode Island, workers must file a Notice of Designation as Independent Contractor (DWC 11-IC) with the Director of Labor, declaring themselves independent contractors for workers’ compensation purposes. Workers must do this annually for every business they work for.

Rhode Island courts will void the independent contractor status of any worker who: 

• Was pressured into declaring themselves an independent contractor, or…
• Submitted a form containing false information.

Regardless of whether this notification is filed, the Rhode Island workers’ compensation court will deem a worker an employee if certain circumstances are met.

Employers of exempt workers can elect to provide coverage by submitting a written statement to the DLT stating this and accepting the state laws on workers’ compensation. Employers who elect coverage must also obtain and file a certificate with the Secretary of State.

Out-of-state employers with employees in Rhode Island must appoint a Rhode Island resident as their agent in writing—and grant that agent authority to act on their behalf in matters related to workers’ compensation processes.

Employers must display the Workers’ Compensation Act poster in an area of the workplace that’s visible to employees. Failure to do so can incur a $250 fine.

Obtaining workers’ compensation insurance

Employers can obtain workers’ compensation insurance for their Rhode Island workers in the following ways:

• Private insurers: Employers can purchase workers’ compensation insurance through private companies licensed to provide it.
• Assigned Risk Pool: Employers who can’t obtain private coverage can purchase insurance from the Beacon Mutual Insurance Company, the state’s assigned risk carrier.
• Self-insure: When authorized following a successful application to the Department of Labor and Training, employers with sufficient financial resources can opt to self-insure.

Operating without required workers’ compensation insurance is a felony in Rhode Island. Employers that knowingly fail to maintain coverage may face:

• Up to 2 years’ imprisonment.
• Civil penalties of up to $1,000 for each day of noncompliance.
• Personal liability for certain corporate officers, LLC managers or managing members, and partners.
• Immediate suspension of business operations until the required coverage is obtained.

Claiming workers’ compensation insurance

Covered workers who suffer workplace injuries or work-related illnesses can claim workers’ compensation regardless of who was at fault.

The worker, or someone on their behalf, can initiate a workers’ compensation claim by reporting the injury or illness to their employer. 

Employers must notify insurers when:

• An employee is incapacitated for 3 consecutive days. 
• The employee’s injury requires medical treatment.
• An accident or job-related illness results in fatality. 

It’s then the insurer’s duty to file the First Report of Injury form electronically with the DLT. Insurers must do this within 10 days of being informed of an injury or illness, and within 24 hours of a work-related death.

Disputes about workers’ compensation are handled through Rhode Island’s Workers’ Compensation Court.

Unemployment Insurance

Most Rhode Island workers are covered by the state’s unemployment insurance (UI) program, which provides temporary benefits to eligible out-of-work individuals. The UI program is administered by the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) and follows the rules set in the state’s Employment Security Act.

Employers must:

• Pay UI taxes.
• Report all new hires and rehires to the Rhode Island New Hire Reporting Directory.
• Complete and return the “Notice of Claim” form received when an ex-employee applies for benefits, and return it to the DLT within 10 business days.
• Submit quarterly wage reports and employee separation details to the DLT.

Employers who want to dispute UI tax assessments, file a UI claim, or report a fraudulent claim should complete the online protest form. 

Out-of-work employees are eligible to receive UI benefits if:

• They’re unemployed or have had their hours significantly reduced through no fault of their own.
• They’re actively searching for employment.
• They’re physically able and available to work. 
• They’ve earned sufficient wages within their “base period” (the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before the claimant files for unemployment). 

Benefit amounts are based on each claimant’s prior earnings. After a 7-day waiting period, eligible claimants can receive benefits up to a maximum of 26 weeks. Rhode Island doesn’t allow extended benefits.

Workers can file a claim for UI benefits via the DLT’s online system or by calling (401) 415-6772.

Claimants wanting to dispute a UI benefits decision should submit an appeal to the DLT within 15 days.

Caregiver and Disability Insurance

The Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI) and Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) programs provide financial benefits to eligible employees when they aren’t able to work.

TCI provides financial benefits for employees to bond with a newborn baby, foster child, or adopted child, or to care for a seriously ill family member. TCI also provides a dependent allowance of $20 per week per dependent.

On January 1, 2026, TCI extended its maximum leave to 8 weeks per year and included siblings alongside children, parents, spouses and partners, parents-in-law, and grandparents as family members.

TCI also now provides 1 week of leave for employees who donate bone marrow and 30 business days of leave for employees who donate organs.

TDI provides partial income replacement when employees can’t work because of a non-work-related injury or illness. Employers must deduct TDI tax from employees’ wages and pay it to the Employer Tax Unit every quarter.

In 2026, the TDI taxable wage base increased to $100,000, and the contribution rate dropped to 1.1%, making the maximum employee contribution $1,100.

Workplaces must also display the Notice To All Employees Poster.

To qualify for Rhode Island Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) or Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI), employees generally must:

• Have worked for a Rhode Island-covered employer and paid into the TDI/TCI fund.
• Have earned at least $19,200 in the base period; or have earned at least $3,200 in 1 base-period quarter, with total base-period wages equal to at least 1.5 times the highest quarter’s earnings and at least $6,400 in total base-period wages.

To receive TDI benefits, employees must also provide certification from a qualified healthcare provider confirming that they’re unable to perform their regular work duties because of a qualifying non-work-related illness or injury.

Employees can’t receive TCI and TDI for the same weeks, or claim TDI for an injury or illness covered by a workers’ compensation claim. However, employees can receive TCI/TDI benefits while also receiving paid time off from their employer.

Workplace Rights and Protections

Discrimination and harassment

The Rhode Island Fair Employment Practices Act (RIFEPA) prohibits discrimination and harassment in all aspects of employment. RIFEPA protects many of the same characteristics as federal anti-discrimination laws, like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but it also provides broader protections.

Under RIFEPA, all employers with 4+ employees are subject to the law, whereas federal laws apply only to employers with 15+ or 20+ employees.

On June 24, 2025, Rhode Island became the first state to expressly require reasonable accommodations for menopause-related conditions, such as more frequent breaks and temperature control. Employers must also make reasonable accommodations for disabled employees and workers with pregnancy-related conditions under the same act.

(Employers of 15+ must also make reasonable accommodations for employees with sincerely held religious beliefs under federal law.)

RIFEPA makes it unlawful to harass, refuse to hire, and base other employment-related decisions on any of the following:

• Race
• Color
• Religion
• Sex
• Sexual orientation
• Pregnancy status
• Gender identity or expression
• Physical or mental disability
• Age (over 40)
• Country of origin 

Employers must display the Discrimination is Illegal poster in the workplace and have written policies regarding workplace harassment and discrimination.

Rhode Island’s Pay Equality Act specifically prohibits wage discrimination. It’s unlawful to pay different pay rates for comparable work based on the following protected characteristics:

• Race or color
• Religion
• Sex
• Sexual orientation
• Gender identity or expression
• Disability
• Age
• Country of ancestral origin

Employees who believe they’ve been discriminated against can file a charge with the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights or submit a complaint to the Division of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.

The Rhode Island Civil Rights Act (RICRA) also applies to employers with 4 or more employees, providing broader coverage than the federal act. Since July 1, 2025, RIFEPA and RICRA include hairstyles and textures historically associated with race as protected characteristics.

Retaliating against people who file a complaint, oppose discriminatory practices, or participate in investigations is illegal under state law.

Leave Laws

Other mandatory leave

Child Labor Laws

In general, the minimum working age in Rhode Island is 14, with some limited exceptions. 

Under-18s can’t work in any jobs that are considered hazardous.

Employment and age certificates

Minors aged 14 and 15 must obtain an employment certificate (work permit) from their local school committee to work legally. Before work permits are granted, minors must successfully complete training on “workers’ rights, workplace health and safety, and workers’ compensation.” 

Work permits can be revoked if the minor’s school believes working is detrimental to the minor’s schoolwork or attendance. 

Employers must verify the age of any minor employed in a factory, mechanical establishment, or manufacturing facility. Under Rhode Island law, truancy officers and compliance inspectors can demand that the employer produce a certificate of age proving the minor is at least 16 years old. Employers can get these certificates from the state’s Department of Education. 

Employers must: 

• Keep work permits and certificates of age on file.
• Keep copies of the supporting documentation used to obtain work permits, such as birth certificates, on file.
• Return the work permit to the school committee that issued it when the minor’s employment ends.

Workplace Safety and Health

Rhode Island enforces workplace safety and health regulations through the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). This is administered locally by the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training.

Key employer obligations under the OSH Act are as follows:

• Provide safe workplaces free from hazards likely to cause harm.
• Follow all relevant Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards.
• Deliver appropriate safety training.
• Report workplace fatalities to OSHA within 8 hours, and any inpatient hospitalizations or serious injuries within 24 hours.
• Keep workplace injury and illness records.
• Display OSHA posters where required. 
• Cooperate with OSHA inspectors.

Employees’ rights include the ability to:

• Refuse to work in unsafe environments.
• Review injury and illness records.
• File OSHA complaints without retaliation.

Labor Union Regulations

Rhode Island isn’t a right-to-work state. Employers can require employees to join a union as a condition of employment in unionized workplaces.

Under the federal National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), employees of private employers have the right to organize, unionize, and act together to improve workplace conditions and bargain collectively.

Employment Contracts and Severance

Rhode Island follows the at-will employment doctrine: either party may terminate employment at any time for any lawful reason (unless a contract or agreement states otherwise).

Restrictive covenants

Despite ongoing efforts to ban them, most noncompete agreements are enforceable in Rhode Island when they are:

• Reasonable in duration and geographic scope.
• Necessary to protect legitimate business interests, such as confidential information.
• Not entered into with minors (employees under 18).
• Not entered into with students on internships.
• Not entered into with low-wage earners (employees earning below 2.5 times the federal poverty level).

However, Rhode Island law prohibits noncompete agreements with physicians and certain medical professionals.

Rhode Island also prohibits employers from requiring employees to sign nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) or non-disparagement agreements as a condition of employment when those agreements would prevent employees from discussing unlawful workplace conduct. Courts void any clauses that violate this rule.

Severance pay

Rhode Island law doesn’t require employers to pay severance. If employers provide severance pay, they must comply with any relevant terms outlined in employment contracts, collective bargaining agreements, and company policies.

Additional State-Specific Employment Laws

The following labor laws also apply to Rhode Island employers:

Employers may also be subject to additional federal labor laws. 

Legal Resources for Employers and Employees

Employers and employees in Rhode Island may find the following useful:

• The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) is the primary resource for state labor laws, providing information, reporting tools, required forms, and more.
• The Rhode Island Workers’ Compensation Court handles disputes that employees, employers, and insurance providers are unable to settle themselves.
• The Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights (RICHR) enforces state anti-discrimination laws.
• The Rhode Island State Law Library is a public law library with state and federal legal resources and materials.

Disclaimer

The information presented on this website about labor laws in Rhode Island 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.