US employment law by state: the employer’s 50-state guide
In the United States, most employment law is set state by state, not federally. Pay transparency, non-competes, minimum wage, final pay and worker classification can all differ depending on where your employee works. These sortable 50-state trackers show where each state stands, with a primary source for every figure, and link to a full hiring guide for every state.
By-state trackers
Each tracker is a sortable table of all 50 states and DC on one theme, with the primary source for every figure and a link to that state’s full guide.
Employer payroll taxesThe 2026 new-employer unemployment rate, wage base, FUTA, employee taxes and all-in employer cost on a $60k hire, in every state and DC.
Final paycheckWhen final wages are due in each state, split by whether the employee was fired or quit.
Minimum wageThe 2026 minimum wage in every state, with the next scheduled change and tipped minimum.
Non-competeWhere employee non-competes are banned, income-limited or enforceable, now that the FTC's federal ban is gone.
Paid leaveWhich states mandate paid family and medical leave and paid sick leave, with in-force dates.
Pay transparencyWhich states require salary ranges in job postings, with thresholds, effective dates and salary-history bans.
Worker classificationThe employee-versus-contractor test each state uses, from strict ABC tests to common law.
Find your state
Every US state has its own hiring guide covering wage & hour, termination, worker classification, tax and leave. Pick a state to open its full guide.
50 state guides
- ALAlabama
- AKAlaska
- AZArizona
- ARArkansas
- CACalifornia
- COColorado
- CTConnecticut
- DEDelaware
- FLFlorida
- GAGeorgia
- HIHawaii
- IDIdaho
- ILIllinois
- INIndiana
- IAIowa
- KSKansas
- KYKentucky
- LALouisiana
- MEMaine
- MDMaryland
- MAMassachusetts
- MIMichigan
- MNMinnesota
- MSMississippi
- MOMissouri
- MTMontana
- NENebraska
- NVNevada
- NHNew Hampshire
- NJNew Jersey
- NMNew Mexico
- NYNew York
- NCNorth Carolina
- NDNorth Dakota
- OHOhio
- OKOklahoma
- OROregon
- PAPennsylvania
- RIRhode Island
- SCSouth Carolina
- SDSouth Dakota
- TNTennessee
- TXTexas
- UTUtah
- VTVermont
- VAVirginia
- WAWashington
- WVWest Virginia
- WIWisconsin
- WYWyoming
White House review of the new contractor rule is over
What happened
The US Department of Labor has written a new rule on who counts as a contractor. The White House finished its review on 28 October 2026. The rule was changed along the way, and it has not come out yet.
What it means for you
The 2024 federal rule stays on the books for now. Wait to read the final words before you change any contractor terms. State tests still apply, so a worker can pass the federal test and still be an employee under state law.
Dates to know
- No date yetThe US Department of Labor prints the final contractor rule.
- 1 January 2027Pay floors rise in at least 16 states. Washington, California and New Jersey are among them.
- 1 January 2027Maryland employers and staff start paying into the state paid leave fund.
- 1 March 2027New York could raise its pay floor, but only if lawmakers agree.
- 30 June 2027Washington bans every non-compete clause.
Source: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. We check this page every week. Last checked .
US employment law is layered: a federal floor set by laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act and Title VII, with 50 states and DC free to add stronger rules on top. For employers hiring across the country, the hard part is that the state rules differ, change often, and apply based on where the employee works, not where the company is based. This hub brings the state-by-state picture into one place: thematic trackers that compare all 50 states and DC on a single question, such as whether a state requires pay ranges in job ads or how it treats non-competes, each linking down to that state's full hiring guide. When Teamed is your Employer of Record, meeting each state's rules is our job, not yours.
The big picture
US employment law is set state by state: there is no single federal rulebook for pay transparency, non-competes, final pay or most day-to-day employment duties. The rules that apply depend on the state your employee works in, and they change often.
Why does US employment law differ by state?
Because the US system leaves most employment regulation to the states. Federal law sets a floor, such as the federal minimum wage, overtime and anti-discrimination rules, but each state and DC can and does go further. So the rules that apply to your employee depend on the state they work in, not where your company is based.
What do these trackers cover?
Each tracker takes one theme and compares all 50 states and DC on it, with a primary source for every figure and a link to that state's full hiring guide. They cover minimum wage, paid leave, pay transparency, non-competes, final paycheck rules, employer payroll taxes and worker classification.
What Teamed handles across the US
- Registration and payroll tax per state
- Minimum wage at the applicable rate
- Agreements under the correct state's law
Frequently asked questions
Is there a single federal US employment law?
No. There is a federal floor, for example the Fair Labor Standards Act on minimum wage and overtime and Title VII on discrimination, but most employment rules are set by each state and DC, and many go beyond the federal minimum.
Which state's law applies to my employee?
Generally the law of the state where the employee actually works, regardless of where your company is based. Remote employees are usually covered by the rules of the state they work from.
Do these pages give legal advice?
No. They are guides that summarise the current position with primary sources, reviewed as the law changes. For a specific situation, Teamed's HR and legal experts can advise, or speak to a qualified professional.
Hiring across the US means meeting 50 different rulebooks at once. When Teamed is your legal employer, we hold that complexity: compliant offers, postings and policies in every state, so you can hire anywhere in the US without opening 50 payrolls or reading 50 statutes.
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