West Virginia minimum wage 2024
West Virginia’s current minimum wage is $8.75. WV Division of Labor – Minimum Wage
If the federal minimum wage is greater than the West Virginia minimum wage, employers must pay the federal minimum wage. WV Statute 21-5C-2(a).
West Virginia minimum wage laws do not apply to employers with fewer than six (6) persons employed during a workweek in any one separate, distinct, and permanent location or business establishment. WV Statute 21-5C-1(e).
Minimum Wage Calculator
Tip Minimum Wage
West Virginia’s minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.62.
West Virginia minimum wage laws allow employers to take a tip credit equal to 70% of the state minimum wage.
If an employer chooses to pay the tipped minimum wage and take a tip credit, it must also ensure that the tipped employees receive the standard minimum wage when tipped wages earned are combined with tips received.
If a tipped employee is not paid the standard minimum wage when tipped wages earned are combined with tips received, the employer must pay the employee the difference.
Suppose a tipped employee (also referred to as a service employee per West Virginia’s minimum wage laws) spends more than 20% of their time during a workweek performing non-tip-related work (such as cleaning or setting tables, making coffee, etc.). In that case, an employer must pay the employee at least the standard minimum wage without a tip credit for the time spent by the employee performing the non-tip-related work.
If an employee has two different jobs (a dual job employee), one of which is not tip-related, the employer must pay the employee at least the standard minimum wage without a tip credit for all hours worked by the employee engaged in non-tip-related work.
To be able to take the tip credit for an employee, an employer must have a written, signed, and dated record completed by the employee containing:
- the period of time in which the tips were received,
- the amount of cash tips received,
- the amount of credit or debit card tips received,
- the amount of tips paid out, and
- the amount of net tips retained by the employee.
- a record of the time a dual employee worked as a service employee
Tip pooling and sharing
West Virginia minimum wage laws allow employers to permit tip sharing and tip pooling of tips. An employer that allows tip sharing or tip-pooling must divide the shard or pooled tips amounts only to service employees and dual job employees working as service employees and ensure that the employees individually document the amount of tips paid out.
An employer may not receive any portion of shared or pooled tips.
Subminimum Wage
Employees with disabilities
West Virginia minimum wage laws allow employers to pay a subminimum wage rate that is less than the standard minimum wage to employees with physical or mental handicaps so severe that they prevent their employment or employment training in any training or employment facility other than a nonprofit sheltered workshop. West Virginia exempts such employees from its minimum wage requirements. WV Statute 21-5C-1(f)(8); WV Division of Labor – Minimum Wage.
Trainees
West Virginia minimum wage allows employers to pay trainees under the age of 20 a subminimum wage of $6.40 for a cumulative period of not more than 90 days per employee.
If an employer has not been in operation for 90 days at the time the trainees were hired, the employer may pay the subminimum wage to trainees for an additional 90 days.
If the federal subminimum training wage increase is greater than the rate set by West Virginia’s minimum wage laws, employers must pay the federal rate.
Apprentices
West Virginia minimum wage laws do not specifically permit employers to pay apprentices a subminimum wage rate that is less than the state minimum wage.
West Virginia minimum wage laws exclude individuals involved in on-the-job training (vocational) from its minimum wage requirements.
Learners
West Virginia minimum wage laws do not specifically permit employers to pay learners a subminimum wage rate that is less than the standard minimum wage.
West Virginia minimum wage laws exclude individuals involved in on-the-job training (vocational) from its minimum wage requirements.
Student Learners
West Virginia minimum wage laws do not specifically permit employers to pay student learners a subminimum wage rate that is less than the standard minimum wage.
West Virginia minimum wage laws exclude individuals involved in on-the-job training (vocational) from its minimum wage requirements.
WV Division of Labor – Minimum Wage
Student workers
West Virginia minimum wage laws exempt from it minimum wage requirements any individual employed on a part-time basis who is a student in any recognized school or college. West Virginia minimum wage laws exclude from its minimum wage requirements individuals involved in on-the-job training (vocational). WV Statute 21-5C-1; WV Division of Labor – Minimum Wage
West Virginia Minimum Wage Laws 2024 FAQs
Will there be a minimum wage rate increase in West Virginia in 2024?
West Virginia’s current minimum wage is $8.75 per hour. It is the same as last year’s and the year before.
You will notice that the rate is slightly higher than the hourly minimum wage rate set by the federal government. This minimum wage raise increase is said to have been computed from the inflation rate.
Is the minimum wage different for West Virginia tipped employees?
The FLSA allows businesses to pay a lower wage for workers that belong to industries that traditionally receive tips.
To ensure wage fairness, though, this is only possible as long as the base wage plus the tips will meet the required minimum wage rate per hour.
It’s almost the same for West Virginia, with only a slight difference. Business owners can take a tip credit of 70%.
It means that an employer can even pay, for instance, a waitress minimum wage of as little as $2.62 per hour. Again, what’s important is for the total wage to reach the set state minimum.
Due to these details, it is always ideal for employers to check the minimum wage categories their employees belong to. This can help you determine the right wage to provide. For example, a non-exempt employee can receive a different wage from your part-time employees.
Will there be further minimum wage increases in West Virginia in the future?
There are definitely initiatives to open paths for employee growth. However, at the time of writing, there are still no clear updates about potential minimum wage increases in the near future for West Virginians.
