Minimum Wage
Nevada’s current minimum wage is $8.75 for employers who provide employees with a qualifying health benefit. This rate is $9.75 for employees who do not provide a qualifying health benefit.
For more information on Nevada’s minimum wage laws, visit our Nevada Minimum Wage Laws page, which includes topics such as minimum wage, tip minimum wage, tip sharing and pooling, and subminimum wages.
Related topic covered on other pages include:
Overtime
Nevada labor laws require employers to pay overtime at the rate of 1½ times an employee’s regular rate for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek to all employees, unless otherwise exempt. Additionally, employers must pay overtime at the rate of 1½ times an employee’s regular rate for all hours worked in excess of 8 in a workday to employees who are compensated at less than 1½ times Nevada’s minimum wage, unless otherwise exempt. NV Statute 608.018. See FLSA: Overtime for more information regarding overtime requirements.
Prevailing Wages
Under certain circumstances, employers in Nevada may be required to pay residents wage rates established by the federal or state prevailing wage rates and rules. The prevailing wage rates may be different from the state’s standard minimum wage rates. Employees may be eligible for prevailing wages if they work on federal or state government or government-funded construction projects or perform certain federal or state government services. See the Nevada Prevailing Wages, Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act (SCA), and Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act (PCA) for more information about prevailing wages.
Meals and Breaks
Nevada labor laws require employers to provide employees a meal period of at least thirty (30) minutes when working for a continuous period of eight (8) hours. Employers must provide employees a break of a minimum of ten (10) minutes for each four (4) hours worked or major fraction thereof. Employers do not need to provide a break to employees working less that three and a half (3½) hours. The break must be paid. NV Statute 608.019.
Nevada wage and hour regulations explain the break requirement as follows:
An employee that works at least three and a half (3½) continuous hours is permitted:
- One (1) 10-minute rest period if the employee works at least three and a half (3½) continuous hours and less than 7 continuous hours;
- Two (2) 10-minute rest periods if the employee works at least seven (7) continuous hours and less than eleven (11) continuous hours;
- Three (3) 10-minute rest periods if the employee works at least eleven (11) continuous hours and less than fifteen (15) continuous hours; or
- Four (4) 10-minute rest periods if the employee works at least fifteen (15) continuous hours and less than nineteen (19) continuous hours.
Exceptions to the meal and break requirements include:
- Situations where only one person is employed at a particular place of employment.
- Employees included within the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement.
- Exemptions granted by the Labor Commission after the employer has shown sufficient evidence that business necessity precludes providing such benefits.
An employee may voluntarily agree to forgo any rest or meal period. Nev. Admin. Code 608.145.
Nursing Mother Breaks
Nevada labor laws require employers to allow employees who are nursing mothers with children under one (1) year of age to take reasonable breaks, with or without compensation to express breast milk. Unless it causes undue hardship, the employer must provide employees who are expressing breast milk with a place to express breast milk that is:
- not a bathroom
- reasonably free from dirt or pollution
- protects the employee from the view of others
- protects the employee from intrusion by others
Employers with fewer than 50 employees are not required to provide nursing mother breaks if allowing the breaks would impose an undue hardship on the employer, considering the size, financial resources, nature and structure of the business of the employer. Employers with 50 or more employees that determine that providing nursing mother breaks will impose an undue hardship must meet with the employee to agree to reasonable alternatives. If the parties cannot agree to reasonable alternatives, the employer may require the employee to comply with the employer’s alternatives.
Employer may not retaliate against employees for taking breaks to express breast milk or taking any action to require the employer to enforce the nursing mother break rules.
Vacation Leave
Information about Nevada vacation leave laws may now be found on our Nevada Leave Laws page.
Sick Leave
Information about Nevada sick leave laws may now be found on our Nevada Leave Laws page.
Holiday Leave
Information about Nevada holiday leave laws may now be found on our Nevada Leave Laws page.
Jury Duty Leave
Information about Nevada jury duty leave laws may now be found on our Nevada Leave Laws page.
Voting Leave
Information about Nevada voting leave laws may now be found on our Nevada Leave Laws page.
Severance Pay
Nevada labor laws do not require employers to provide employees with severance pay. If an employer chooses to provide severance benefits, it must comply with the terms of its established policy or employment contract.
Unemployment
Under certain circumstances, Nevada residents may be eligible for unemployment benefits while they search for another job. You are required to certify that you are unemployed on a weekly basis to receive these benefits. See Nevada State Unemployment Benefits.