Idaho Salaried Employees Laws

2024

Salaried employees are individuals who receive a predetermined fixed amount of compensation at regular intervals, such as weekly or less frequently. These employees are subject to specific regulations that govern their working conditions.

The purpose of this article is to offer an overview of the relevant laws and regulations that dictate the rights and responsibilities of both salaried employees and their employers in Idaho. It will address various aspects, including payment policies, break and leave entitlements, as well as the classification of exempt and non-exempt employees.

This article covers:

Payment of Wages for Salaried Employees in Idaho

In Idaho, employers are required to provide payment to their employees monthly. The specific payday should be determined in advance and should not exceed 15 days after the conclusion of the pay period. If the designated payday falls on a non-working day, the wages can be issued on the subsequent workday.

Employers often utilize systems to track payroll hours and create protocols for overseeing payment periods and approvals.

Salaried Employees Eligibility for Overtime for Idaho

Unless specifically exempted by federal law, salaried employees must be provided overtime compensation at a rate of 1.5 times their standard pay for any hours worked beyond 40 in a given workweek.

Pay for Working Overtime for Idaho Salaried Employees

To compute the overtime rate for a salaried employee, the employer should determine the employee’s hourly rate by dividing their salary by the number of hours the salary is designed to encompass. This calculation serves as a crucial factor in determining the supplementary compensation required for overtime work.

Subsequently, employ the hourly pay rate in the following formula to calculate the overtime rate for salaried employees:

Hourly pay rate x Overtime Hours x Overtime Rate (1.5)

Importantly, if an employee’s salary covers fewer than 40 hours in a workweek, their regular rate will be applied for each subsequent hour until reaching 40 hours. Only beyond 40 hours will the time-and-a-half rate be applicable.

For employees whose salary spans 40 hours in a workweek, time-and-a-half compensation will be applied to any hours exceeding 40.

It’s important to highlight that while salaried employees typically don’t need to keep detailed records of their work hours, situations involving overtime calculations can benefit from monitoring overtime hours. Timesheet templates can be a useful tool for ensuring accurate tracking of overtime hours, and there are also specialized software solutions tailored for overtime compliance to ensure adherence to labor regulations.

Exceptions to Overtime Exemptions for Idaho Salaried Employees

Idaho adheres to federal FLSA regulations and recognizes specific scenarios in which employees are exempt from receiving overtime pay. This exemption applies to certain job categories that earn a minimum of $844 weekly. In addition to those earning at least this amount, there is an exhaustive list of exemptions that encompass:

  • Executives, professionals, administrative staff (including educators and computer workers)
  • Outside salespersons
  • Staff at seasonal amusement and recreation establishments
  • Casual babysitters
  • Specific commissioned employees (such as those in auto, truck, farm equipment, and related roles)
  • Taxi drivers
  • Farm workers
  • Employees engaged in particular agricultural operations
  • Employees of designated bulk petroleum distributors
  • Employees lacking a high school diploma may be required to dedicate up to 10 hours in a workweek to remedial training (compensated at their regular hourly rate)
  • Hospital and residential care staff, who may operate on a 14-day workweek.

Violation of Salaried Employees Wages Payment in Idaho

An employer failing to remit all owed wages post-employment separation could face penalties of up to $750. Should wages be settled before the Idaho Department of Labor lodges a state lien, the maximum penalty is capped at $500. Idaho Labor assesses the propriety and extent of any imposed penalties. Penalties or damages, along with attorney’s fees when complaints are lodged in U.S. District Court: In cases where the court rules in favor of the complainant, the judgment may encompass all expenses and attorney costs. The plaintiff is eligible to retrieve from the defendant either the outstanding wages and penalties or damages amounting to three times the unpaid wages, whichever sum is larger.

Male and Female Salaried Employees in Idaho

The Equal Pay Act prohibits employers from discriminating based on sex by paying employees wages at a lower rate than what is paid to employees of the opposite sex in the same establishment for equal work involving similar skill, effort, and responsibility under comparable working conditions. Similarly, Idaho’s equal pay law (Discriminatory Wage Rates Based Upon Sex) takes a parallel stance, deeming it illegal for employers to distinguish among employees in the same establishment based on sex.

This includes paying any employee less than the rate paid to an opposite-sex employee for comparable work on jobs with comparable requirements in terms of skill, effort, and responsibility. Both state and federal laws make exceptions for unequal pay linked to seniority or merit systems.

Leave Entitlements for Salaried Employees in Idaho

Salaried workers frequently need to take into account the different types of available leave and monitor time away from work.

Salaried employees have access to various forms of leave to address different life situations. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 offers eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year while protecting their job positions. This is available for events like caring for a newborn or a family member with a severe health condition, or for an employee’s serious illness.

The Military Leave component of FMLA provides two types of leave: Standard FML for family members of active duty military personnel, granting up to 12 weeks of leave, and Service member FML, allowing up to 26 weeks of leave for caring for a family member injured during active military duty. Additionally, employees summoned for jury duty are protected by Idaho law from employer retaliation, although compensation for this time off is not mandated.

Break Entitlements for Salaried Employees in Idaho

Idaho employers are not legally required to provide breaks or rest periods for their employees. Yet, if such provisions are outlined in the employment agreement, federal rules govern these provided breaks. Breaks lasting up to 20 minutes are considered part of the total work hours and should be compensated. For meal breaks exceeding 30 minutes, payment is not necessary unless work is carried out during the break.

Deductions from Exempt Employees’ Salary in Idaho

Under Idaho labor laws, employers are generally prohibited from retaining any part of an employee’s earnings unless mandated by state or federal regulations, or if the employer possesses written consent to initiate deductions from the employee’s pay. In most instances, even with written consent, deductions cannot result in wages falling below the minimum wage threshold. In cases where an employer can validate an advance or draw against an employee’s forthcoming wages, the entire sum of that advance or draw can be deducted from any subsequent paycheck.

Termination of Employment for Salaried Employees in Idaho

Idaho follows the “employment-at-will” doctrine, enabling the employer or employee to end employment without cause. When employment ends, the employee must receive their final paycheck within 10 days (excluding weekends and holidays). Upon a written request from the employee, payment can be expedited, arriving within 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays). For non-hourly or non-salaried employees, owed wages are settled on the next scheduled payday.

Learn more about Idaho Labor Laws through our detailed guide.

Important Cautionary Note

This content is provided for informational purposes only. While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information presented, we cannot guarantee that it is free of errors or omissions. Users are advised to independently verify any critical information and should not solely rely on the content provided.