Hours worked
Rhode Island minimum wage laws require employers to pay employees for all hours worked; however, they do not address when an employer must count employee time as hours worked. Because most employers and employees in Rhode Island are subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the standards set forth in that law related to hours worked may provide reasonable guidance.
Workweek
Rhode Island minimum wage laws do not address what constitutes a workweek for purposes of its minimum wage and overtime requirements. Because most employers and employees in Rhode Island are subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the standards set forth in that law related to workweek may provide reasonable guidance.
Waiting time
Rhode Island minimum wage laws do not address when an employer must count employee waiting time as hours worked for purposes of their minimum wage and overtime requirements. Because most employers and employees in Rhode Island are subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the standards set forth in that law related to waiting time may provide reasonable guidance.
On-call time
Rhode Island minimum wage laws do not address when an employer must count employee on-call time as hours worked for purposes of their minimum wage and overtime requirements. Because most employers and employees in Rhode Island are subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the standards set forth in that law related to on-call time may provide reasonable guidance.
Sleeping time
Rhode Island minimum wage laws do not address when an employer must count employee sleeping time as hours worked for purposes of their minimum wage and overtime requirements. Because most employers and employees in Rhode Island are subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the standards set forth in that law related to sleeping time may provide reasonable guidance.
Travel time
Rhode Island minimum wage laws do not address when an employer must count employee travel time as hours worked for purposes of their minimum wage and overtime requirements. Because most employers and employees in Rhode Island are subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the standards set forth in that law related to travel time may provide reasonable guidance.
Meeting, lecture, and training time
Rhode Island minimum wage laws do not address when an employer must count time spent by employees at meetings, lectures, and training as hours worked for purposes of their minimum wage and overtime requirements. Because most employers and employees in Rhode Island are subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the standards set forth in that law related to meeting time may provide reasonable guidance.
Show up or reporting time
Rhode Island minimum wage laws require employers to pay employees for a minimum of three (3) hours at their regular hourly rate if the employer requests or permits such employees to report or show up for duty but does not furnish the employee with a minimum of three (3) hours of work on that shift. Employers must pay employees who report to work a minimum of three (3) hours at their regular rate regardless of whether the employees perform some work or perform no work at all.
Rhode Island’s show up requirements do not apply to students enrolled full-time at colleges or universities located in Rhode Island who are also an employee of the college or university they attend, except as follows:
- a college or university that employs students and requests or permits a student employee to report for duty at the beginning of a work shift,
- the length of which has been mutually agreed to, and
- the employer does not furnish work for the student employee to perform, will pay the student for the number of hours of the agreed upon shift.
