Louisiana tip laws (2026)
Louisiana has no state minimum wage law. Covered employers follow federal rules: at least $2.13 an hour in cash, with a $5.12 tip credit to reach $7.25. State law still sets the rules on final pay, wage fines and pay notices.
Louisiana at a glance
Federal tip creditLouisiana: $7.25 an hour minimum wage. Tipped staff can be paid $2.13 cash, with up to $5.12 counted from tips.
| State minimum wage | $7.25/hr | No state minimum wage. The federal rate applies.[1] |
|---|---|---|
| Tipped cash wage | $2.13 | Plus up to $5.12 in tips = $7.25.[1] |
| Max tip credit | $5.12 | Federal rule applies.[2] |
| Tip pooling | Allowed | Mandatory pools allowed.[1] |
| Card-fee deduction | Pro rata only | Only the tip's share of the fee, under federal rules.[1] |
| Card tip payout | FLSA-covered card tips are due by regular payday, with no waiting on the card company. | Louisiana requires notice of pay rate, frequency and method.[1] |
| Local minimum wages | None | State law blocks local rates.[3] |
Rates verified against the U.S. Department of Labor on . Rates as of . Tipped totals are worked out from the rates above. Download this data (CSV)
02The yes/no sheet
Can you do this in Louisiana?
In Louisiana you can take the federal tip credit, can require staff to join a tip pool and can take out only the tip's share of a card fee. Each answer below carries its condition and an official source.
| Number | Can you… | Answer | The condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Take a tip credit against minimum wage? | Yes (federal) | Federal rule: pay $2.13 cash and count up to $5.12 in tips.[1] |
| 02 | Make staff join a tip pool? | Yes | Allowed, as long as only eligible staff share.[1] |
| 03 | Include bartenders, bussers, runners and hosts? | Depends | Bartender, busser, food runner and host: federal eligibility turns on duties and whether a tip credit is taken. State rules may add limits.[1] |
| 04 | Include cooks and dishwashers? | Depends | Federal law allows cooks and dishwashers in a required pool only if everyone gets full federal minimum wage directly. Stricter state rules still apply.[1] |
| 05 | Give managers or supervisors a share? | No | Federal law bars managers and supervisors from other workers' tips. Tips for service they give directly and alone are separate.[1] |
| 06 | Let an owner keep any of the tips? | No | Federal law bars employers from keeping workers' tips, including through a pool.[1] |
| 07 | Pick your own split (hours, points or percentages)? | Yes (federal) | Federal rule: no federal percentage or amount cap for a valid mandatory pool; eligibility, notice and minimum wage rules still apply.[1] |
| 08 | Take card processing fees out of tips? | Pro rata (federal) | Federal rule: only the actual proportional credit-card transaction fee may be deducted from charged tips; no deduction exceeding that fee or reducing required minimum wages; state law may forbid even that deduction.[1] |
| 09 | Hold card tips until payday? | Deadline | FLSA-covered card tips are due by regular payday, with no waiting on the card company. Louisiana requires notice of pay rate, frequency and method.[1] |
| 10 | Cover walkouts, breakage or register shortages from tips? | No | Not from tips.[1] |
| 11 | Keep a mandatory service charge for the house? | Federal rule | No state rule. Federal rule applies: a compulsory service charge is not an FLSA tip. Amounts distributed to employees are wages that may satisfy wage obligations and must enter the regular rate for overtime. This federal wage classification does not decide contractual or state-law ownership.[1] |
| 12 | Pay tips on a payroll card? | Depends (federal) | Federal rule: it depends. Optional payroll-card programs are subject to federal and state wage-payment protections.[4] |
03State vs federal
Louisiana vs federal law
Louisiana follows the federal baseline on the rules below: $7.25 minimum wage, $2.13 tipped cash wage and up to $5.12 in tip credit.
| Rule | Federal (FLSA) | Louisiana | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum wageFederal applies | Federal$7.25[1] | Louisiana$7.25[2] | Federal applies |
| Tipped cash wageFederal applies | Federal$2.13[1] | Louisiana$2.13[2] | Federal applies |
| Max tip creditFederal applies | Federal$5.12[1] | Louisiana$5.12[2] | Federal applies |
| Who counts as tippedFederal applies | FederalMore than $30 a month in tips, customarily and regularly received in the occupation.[1] | LouisianaFederal rule: customarily and regularly more than $30 a month in tips. No separate state threshold found.[2] | Federal applies |
| Managers in the poolFederal applies | FederalManagers/supervisors meeting the executive duties test cannot keep employees’ tips or receive from pools; they may keep only tips received directly for services they directly and solely provide. No salary-level test is used for this tip restriction.[1] | LouisianaFederal law bars managers and supervisors from other workers' tips. Tips for service they give directly and alone are separate.[1] | Federal applies |
| Kitchen in the poolFederal applies | FederalCooks and dishwashers may join a nontraditional mandatory pool only when all workers receive a direct cash wage of at least the full federal minimum wage and no tip credit is taken; employer/managers/supervisors remain excluded. State law may be stricter.[1] | LouisianaFederal law allows cooks and dishwashers in a required pool only if everyone gets full federal minimum wage directly. Stricter state rules still apply.[1] | Federal applies |
| Card fees from tipsFederal applies | FederalOnly the actual proportional credit-card transaction fee may be deducted from charged tips; no deduction exceeding that fee or reducing required minimum wages; state law may forbid even that deduction.[1] | LouisianaFederal rule applies.[5] | Federal applies |
| Card tip payoutState rule | FederalCharged tips due by regular payday, without waiting for processor reimbursement. Employer-administered pools fully distributed by regular payday for the workweek/pay period; if the amount/distribution cannot be determined before payroll, distribute as soon as practicable afterward.[1] | LouisianaFLSA-covered card tips are due by regular payday, with no waiting on the card company. Louisiana requires notice of pay rate, frequency and method.[1] | State rule |
| Mandatory service chargesFederal applies | FederalA compulsory service charge is not an FLSA tip. Amounts distributed to employees are wages that may satisfy wage obligations and must enter the regular rate for overtime. This federal wage classification does not decide contractual or state-law ownership.[1] | LouisianaFederal rule applies.[5] | Federal applies |
| Overtime for tipped staffFederal applies | FederalFor covered nonexempt employees, overtime generally begins after 40 hours in a workweek. Use the full regular rate, at least the full federal minimum wage, not $2.13; the hourly tip credit is not increased for overtime. Voluntary tips above the tip credit are excluded; distributed service charges enter the regular rate.[1] | LouisianaNo general state overtime rule found. FLSA-covered workers get overtime after 40 hours, figured on the full minimum wage.[1] | Federal applies |
Every state starts from the same federal floor. Federal tip law baseline: the FLSA rules, rates and sources, and how Louisiana fits among the four tip credit classes.
State rules
What Louisiana law does cover
No state wage floor, but Louisiana still sets rules on final pay, wage fines, pay notices and local wages.[6][7][8][9][3][2]
- 01
Final pay
Due by the next regular payday or 15 days after separation, whichever comes first.[6]
- 02
Late final pay
Qualifying unpaid final wages can bring penalty wages and attorney fees.[7]
- 03
Wage fines
Generally banned. Exceptions cover actual damage from willful or negligent acts, and proven theft.[8]
- 04
Pay notice
Employers tell covered workers the pay rate, frequency and method.[9]
- 05
Local wages
Local governments can't set a minimum wage for private employers.[3]
04Wages
Minimum wage and the tip credit in Louisiana
Louisiana has no tipped wage of its own, so the federal rule applies: $2.13 cash, up to $5.12 from tips, $7.25 in total.[2]
One server, one slow 30-hour week in Louisiana
A busy week with $153.60 or more in tips needs no top-up. Every tip above that is the server's. Fictional worker and tips.
- Tip credit conditions
- No state minimum wage law. Covered employers follow federal rules on weekly minimum wage, actual tips, notice and retention.[1]
- Who counts as tipped
- Federal rule: customarily and regularly more than $30 a month in tips. No separate state threshold found.[2]
- Overtime
- No general state overtime rule found. FLSA-covered workers get overtime after 40 hours, figured on the full minimum wage.[1]
- Side work and dual jobs
- No state rule. Federal rule applies: current 29 CFR 531.56(e) is the restored 1967 occupation-based dual-jobs rule. No tip credit for a separate non-tipped occupation; related duties within the tipped occupation need not themselves produce tips. The vacated 2021 federal 80/20 and 30-continuous-minute limits are not current regulatory limits. FAB 2026-1 withdraws historical opinion letters and confirms WHD enforcement guidance no longer sets specific time limits; it is agency guidance, not a new statute or regulation.[10][11][5]
Other rates
One statewide rate. No employer-size, industry or youth rates in Louisiana.
Scheduled increases
No statewide increase with a published amount is on file as of .
06Tip pool
Who can be in the tip pool in Louisiana
Louisiana allows tip pools, and employers can make them mandatory. Owners, managers and supervisors can't share in them. A tip pool collects tips and splits them among staff; a tip-out is one worker handing part of their tips to others.
| Role | Can share? | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Front of house | ||
| Server | Depends | Federal eligibility turns on duties and whether a tip credit is taken. State rules may add limits.[1] |
| Bartender | Depends | Federal eligibility turns on duties and whether a tip credit is taken. State rules may add limits.[1] |
| Busser | Depends | Federal eligibility turns on duties and whether a tip credit is taken. State rules may add limits.[1] |
| Food runner | Depends | Federal eligibility turns on duties and whether a tip credit is taken. State rules may add limits.[1] |
| Host | Depends | Federal eligibility turns on duties and whether a tip credit is taken. State rules may add limits.[1] |
| Barback | Depends | Federal eligibility turns on duties and whether a tip credit is taken. State rules may add limits.[1] |
| Expo | Depends | Federal eligibility turns on duties and whether a tip credit is taken. State rules may add limits.[1] |
| Back of house | ||
| Cook | Depends | Federal eligibility turns on duties and whether a tip credit is taken. State rules may add limits.[1] |
| Dishwasher | Depends | Federal eligibility turns on duties and whether a tip credit is taken. State rules may add limits.[1] |
| Leadership | ||
| Shift lead | Depends | Federal eligibility turns on duties and whether a tip credit is taken. State rules may add limits.[1] |
| Manager or supervisor | Not allowed | Federal law bars them from other workers' pooled tips.[1] |
| Owner | Not allowed | Federal law bars them from other workers' pooled tips.[1] |
- Managers and supervisors
- Federal law bars managers and supervisors from other workers' tips. Tips for service they give directly and alone are separate.[1]
- Owners
- Federal law bars employers from keeping workers' tips, including through a pool.[1]
- Back of house
- Federal law allows cooks and dishwashers in a required pool only if everyone gets full federal minimum wage directly. Stricter state rules still apply.[1]
- Who sets the percentages
- No state rule. Federal rule applies: employer may set a valid mandatory pool; for a traditional pool it must notify tipped employees of required contribution amounts.[1][5]
- Cap on what a pool can take
- No state rule. Federal rule applies: no federal percentage or amount cap for a valid mandatory pool; eligibility, notice and minimum wage rules still apply.[1][5]
- Pooling allowed
- Yes.[1]
07Put it to work
Setting up a tip pool in Louisiana
Under Louisiana rules, 6 of the 10 staff in this example can share a $1,200 pool. The table splits the same pool by percentage, by points and by hours.
| Who | By % | By points | By hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maya | $268.29 | $250.00 | $211.78 |
| Jordan | $268.29 | $250.00 | $211.76 |
| Priya | $268.29 | $250.00 | $211.76 |
| Sam | $175.61 | $200.00 | $211.76 |
| Luis | $109.76 | $125.00 | $176.47 |
| Ava | $109.76 | $125.00 | $176.47 |
| Theo | Not in the pool. Out here: this pool includes servers paid with a tip credit. | ||
| Kim | Not in the pool. Out here: this pool includes servers paid with a tip credit. | ||
| Rafa | Not in the pool. Out here: this pool includes servers paid with a tip credit. | ||
| Dana | Not in the pool. Federal law bars them from other workers' pooled tips. | ||
| Total | $1,200.00 | $1,200.00 | $1,200.00 |
Fictional restaurant and staff. The guest-facing staff here are assumed to meet Louisiana's condition for sharing (see who can be in the tip pool, above). Percentages and point weights are examples, not a recommendation. Shares are rounded to the cent, and any leftover cent goes to the first server. Run your own numbers in the tip pooling calculator.
Ferry Tip Manager: support pool split by hours
Servers and bartenders pay into the support pool, and Tip Manager splits it by hours worked. Each person sees their share, with no spreadsheet at close.
Who it's for Full-service restaurants that tip out bussers, runners and bar backs
08Service charges
Service charges vs tips in Louisiana
Louisiana has no service charge rule of its own. Under federal law a mandatory service charge is not a tip, and any part paid to staff counts as wages.
| Question | OptionalTip | MandatoryService charge |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets the amount | The guest | The business |
| Who it belongs to | The worker it was left for, or the pool | No state rule. Federal rule applies: a compulsory service charge is not an FLSA tip. Amounts distributed to employees are wages that may satisfy wage obligations and must enter the regular rate for overtime. This federal wage classification does not decide contractual or state-law ownership.[1][5] |
| Can it go to staff? | Yes, through the pool | Yes. Amounts paid to staff are wages, not tips.[1] |
| How it's taxed (federal) | Tip income the worker reports | Regular wages, with payroll taxes[12][13] |
| Guest notice | None needed | No state rule. Federal law sets no menu or receipt notice rule.[5] |
- Step 1Did the guest choose whether to pay it, and how much?YesIt's a tip. It belongs to staff.NoIt's a mandatory charge. Go to step 2.
- Step 2What does Louisiana say?Federal ruleNo state rule. Federal rule applies: a compulsory service charge is not an FLSA tip. Amounts distributed to employees are wages that may satisfy wage obligations and must enter the regular rate for overtime. This federal wage classification does not decide contractual or state-law ownership.[1][5]
- Step 3Check the cityNo city service charge rules on file for Louisiana.
- Menu and receipt notice
- No state rule. Federal law sets no menu or receipt notice rule.[5]
- Large-party auto gratuities
- No state rule. Federal rule applies: mandatory automatic gratuities are service charges for federal tax purposes, even when distributed to employees; a label does not make the payment voluntary.[12][13][5]
Local service charge rules
No local service charge rules on file for Louisiana.
More on the difference: service charge vs tip.
09Card tips
Card tips in Louisiana: fees and payout timing
In Louisiana only the tip's share of the card processing fee can come out of a card tip, under federal rules. Payout deadline: FLSA-covered card tips are due by regular payday, with no waiting on the card company. Louisiana requires notice of pay rate, frequency and method.
Federal law allows only the actual proportional processing cost, without cutting into minimum wage. State limits on wage fines also matter.[1]
When card tips have to land
- TonightGuest adds a tip On the card, at the table.
- CloseShift is tallied The pool is split by your rules.
- DeadlineLouisiana rule FLSA-covered card tips are due by regular payday, with no waiting on the card company. Louisiana requires notice of pay rate, frequency and method.[1]
- Last dayFinal pay Due by the next regular payday or 15 days after separation, whichever comes first. Disputed and incentive pay have separate rules.[6]
Paydays: Employers give notice of pay rate, frequency and method. Without set paydays, the 1st and 16th. The twice-monthly rule covers certain industries only.[9]
Paying tips on a payroll card
- Allowed?Depends (federal)No state rule. Federal rule applies: it depends. Optional payroll-card programs are subject to federal and state wage-payment protections.[4][5]
- Worker consent needed?Yes (federal)No state rule. Federal rule applies: yes. The employer cannot require its payroll card.[4][5]
- Free way to get the money?Federal ruleNo state rule. Federal rule applies: no general federal free cash-withdrawal mandate identified; Regulation E requires fee disclosures. State law may require free access.[14][5]
- Must you offer another option?Yes
- Holding cash tipsFederal ruleNo state rule. Federal rule applies: employer may collect to administer a valid pool, then distribute under the regular-payday rule. No broader authorization to retain cash tips is established.[1][5]
- Tips shown on the pay stubNo (federal)No state rule. Federal rule applies: no. FLSA does not require pay stubs; state laws and employer records are separate.[15][5]
Ferry Pay: each tip share, paid out digitally
Each person's direct tips, tip outs and payable amount in one view, then paid through Ferry Pay. No cash to keep on hand for payouts. Eligibility and fees apply.
Who it's for Operators who want to stop the nightly cash run
“Since launching this card program, we've reduced our cash-carrying costs by over 66 percent”
10Records
Records and notices in Louisiana
Keep each tipped worker's tips and hours on record, shift by shift. Federal law: FLSA: payroll records at least three years; underlying wage-computation records two years.
Louisiana State
- Tip records Federally covered employers keep tip reports, credit claimed and tipped vs nontipped hours. No separate state tip record rule found.[1]
- How long to keep them No state rule. Federal rule applies: FLSA: payroll records at least three years; underlying wage-computation records two years. Tax retention is separate.[16][5]
- Tip credit notice Required. Federal notice covers cash wage, credit, actual-tip limit, retention and pooling. La. R.S. 23:633 adds pay rate, frequency and method notice.[1]
- Posters and forms Louisiana wage-payment notice under RS 23:633(D).[9]
Everywhere Federal
- Tip records Maintain employee identity, time and pay records. Tip-credit employers additionally retain tipped employee, reported tips, credit amounts and hours/earnings by tipped and nontipped occupation. No-tip-credit employers operating mandatory pools record each recipient and weekly/monthly tips. IRS daily records/reporting are separate obligations.[1]
- How long to keep them FLSA: payroll records at least three years; underlying wage-computation records two years. Tax retention is separate.[16]
- Tip credit notice Oral or written notice must state cash wage; tip credit amount; credit cannot exceed actual tips; employee retains tips except valid traditional pool; credit unavailable until informed. Traditional pool contribution amounts also disclosed.[1]
- A written pool policy Good practice, not a federal rule: who's in, how it splits, when it pays. Share it with staff. How to write one.
Think your tips were handled wrong in Louisiana?
Workers in Louisiana can file a tip or wage claim with the Louisiana Works (225-342-3111). Filing is free, and this page can't settle a dispute; the state can.[17]
Retaliation: Federal law protects covered wage complaints. La. R.S. 23:967 protects good-faith reports of state law violations after telling the employer.[18]
Penalties: Federal tip violations can bring back wages and liquidated damages. State law adds penalty wages and attorney fees for qualifying unpaid final pay.[7]
Can they take this out of my tips?
- Walkouts and dine-and-dashNot allowedFederal law bars employers from using workers' tips for business costs. Louisiana's wage-fine exceptions don't allow keeping tips.[1]
- BreakageNot allowedFederal law bars employers from using workers' tips for business costs. Louisiana's wage-fine exceptions don't allow keeping tips.[1]
- Register shortagesNot allowedFederal law bars employers from using workers' tips for business costs. Louisiana's wage-fine exceptions don't allow keeping tips.[1]
- UniformsNot allowedFederal law bars employers from using workers' tips for business costs. Louisiana's wage-fine exceptions don't allow keeping tips.[1]
- Card processing feesDependsFederal rule: only the actual proportional processing fee, without cutting into minimum wage. No separate Louisiana fee rule found.[1]
- A manager's shareNot allowedFederal law bars employers and managers from taking workers' tips.[1]
11Law changes
What changed in Louisiana tip law, and what's coming
No statewide increase with a published amount is on file for Louisiana as of .
No changes to Louisiana tip or wage rules on file for the last 24 months.
Key statutes
- RS 23:631-.635
- RS 23:642
- RS 23:967
- 29 USC 203(m)(2), 206 and 216
Not covered here? Ask the Louisiana Works at 225-342-3111 or on laworks.net/laborlawinfo.asp.
12FAQ
Louisiana tip law questions
Plain answers to the 8 questions restaurant owners and staff ask most about Louisiana tip law, each linked to its source.
Does Louisiana have a state minimum wage?
What cash wage applies to a covered tipped worker?
Can Louisiana cities set a higher minimum wage?
No. State law bars local governments from setting a minimum wage that private employers must pay.[3]
Can managers get pooled tips?
No. Federal law bars managers and supervisors from other workers' pooled tips. They keep only tips for service they give directly and alone.[1]
When must credit card tips be paid?
For covered workers, by the regular payday. The restaurant can't wait for the card company to pay it first.[1]
When is final pay due in Louisiana?
By the next regular payday or 15 days after separation, whichever comes first. Disputed and incentive pay have separate rules.[6]
Can an employer deduct fines for broken property?
13Compare
How Louisiana compares with nearby states
Louisiana borders Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas. Arkansas pays a higher minimum wage than Louisiana's $7.25. Running locations on both sides of a line? Each one follows its own state's rules.
Neighboring states
States with the same rules
Same tip credit class as Louisiana: Federal rates apply.
- Alabama tip laws$7.25 min wage Federal $2.13 cash wage Also runs on federal tip rules, and only the tip's share of card fees
- Georgia tip laws$7.25 min wage Federal $2.13 cash wage Also runs on federal tip rules, and only the tip's share of card fees
- South Carolina tip laws$7.25 min wage Federal $2.13 cash wage Also runs on federal tip rules, and only the tip's share of card fees
- Tennessee tip laws$7.25 min wage Federal $2.13 cash wage Also runs on federal tip rules, and only the tip's share of card fees
- Wyoming tip laws$7.25 min wage Federal $2.13 cash wage Also runs on federal tip rules, and only the tip's share of card fees
The law decides who's in. Ferry runs the split.
See how operators set pool rules in Ferry Tip Manager and pay tips out without a cash run. Bring your own Louisiana setup.
14Sources
Sources for Louisiana tip laws
Every figure on this page links to one of these 19 sources: 10 for Louisiana and 9 for the federal baseline. They are statutes, regulations and government agency pages, each with the date it was checked.
- 1Fact Sheet #15: Tipped Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)U.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: Tip Credit, paragraph 2; Federal Tip Credit; Federal Overtime Problemswww.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/15-tipped-employees-flsa
What the source says
“An employer must pay a tipped worker at least $2.13 per hour under the FLSA.”
“the federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 per hour.”
“The maximum tip credit that an employer can currently claim is $5.12 per hour: ($7.25 - $2.13 direct (or cash) wage = $5.12).”
- 2Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees July 1 2026United States Department of Labor · Official source · Page updated · Checked Pinpoint: Louisiana row and footnote 11; FLSA coverage prerequisite; Footnote 11, expressly includes Louisianawww.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped
What the source says
“Louisiana 11 $7.25 $5.12 $2.13 More than $30”
“The following states do not have state minimum wage laws:”
- 3RS 23:642 Local Minimum Wage PreemptionLouisiana State Legislature · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: RS 23:642(B); RS 23:642legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=83958
What the source says
“or a minimum wage rate which a private employer would be required to pay or grant employees.”
“Setting minimum wage or employee benefits; prohibited”
- 4What is a payroll card?Consumer Financial Protection Bureau · Official source · Page updated · Checked Pinpoint: definition, paragraph 1; paragraph following definition; Federal Regulation E consumer explanationwww.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-payroll-card-en-401
What the source says
“A payroll card is a prepaid card arranged by an employer for the purpose of paying its employees’ wages or salary.”
“Your employer can’t require you to receive your wages on a payroll card.”
“Your employer has to offer you at least one alternative to a payroll card.”
- 5Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 23 Labor IndexLouisiana State Legislature · Official source · Checked www.legis.la.gov/legis/Laws_Toc.aspx?folder=97&title=23
What the source says
“Revised Statutes - Title 23”
- 6RS 23:631 Discharge Resignation and Final PayLouisiana State Legislature · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: RS 23:631(A)(1)(a),(b); RS 23:631legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=83945
What the source says
“on or before the next regular payday or no later than fifteen days following the date of discharge, whichever occurs first.”
“Discharge or resignation of employees”
- 7RS 23:632 Unpaid Final Wages and RemediesLouisiana State Legislature · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: RS 23:632(A), 90 days or wages from demand until tender; good-faith exception(B)legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=83946
What the source says
“whichever is the lesser amount of penalty wages.”
- 8RS 23:635 Employee Fines and ExceptionsLouisiana State Legislature · Official source · Checked legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=83949
- 9RS 23:633 Payment Timing and NoticeLouisiana State Legislature · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: RS 23:633(A) notice/default dates; (B) limited industries; (C) exemptions; RS 23:633(D)legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=83947
What the source says
“any employer that fails to designate paydays must pay his employees on the first and sixteenth days of the month or as near as is practicable to those days.”
“Employers shall post, in the same location where they post other employee notices required by state or federal laws, a notice provided by Louisiana Works”
- 10Tip Regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)U.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: Regulatory History 2020-2024, item 3; Regulatory History, item 4; Tip regulation topics listwww.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa/tips
What the source says
“a federal court vacated the revision, with the effect of reinstating the Department’s original dual jobs regulation.”
“On December 16, 2024, the Department announced a technical rule to restore the original dual jobs regulation at 29 CFR 531.56(e) .”
“29 CFR 531.56(e) ); and Calculating overtime pay for tipped employees ( 29 CFR 531.60 ).”
- 11Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2026-1U.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Page updated · Checked Pinpoint: p. 1, introductory paragraphs; p. 1, introductionwww.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/fab/fab2026-1.pdf
What the source says
“These withdrawn opinion letters and the FOH provision that implemented them should no longer be relied upon as WHD enforcement guidance.”
“withdrawn on January 14, 2025 (see WHD FOH Revision 785), no longer reflects the Division’s policy or interpretation of the Act.”
“This Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) withdraws Wage and Hour Division (WHD or Division) Opinion Letters FLSA-895 (Aug. 8, 1979); WH-502 (Mar. 28, 1980); and FLSA-854, 1985 WL 1259240 (Dec. 20, 1985).”
- 12Tip recordkeeping and reportingInternal Revenue Service · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: Service charges are not tips, paragraph 2; qualified tips deduction, net-income limit; tip income, Social Security/Medicarewww.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/tip-recordkeeping-and-reporting
What the source says
“Service charges (also referred to as “auto-gratuities”), when distributed to an employee, are generally treated as wages paid by the employer to the employee rather than tips paid by the customer.”
“For self-employed individuals, the deduction may not exceed the individual’s net income (without regard to this deduction) from the trade or business in which the tips were earned.”
“These amounts are subject to federal income tax and generally are also subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes.”
- 13Revenue Ruling 2012-18Internal Revenue Service · Official source · Page updated 2012 · Checked Pinpoint: Q 1/A 1, four distinguishing factors; p. 1, ruling headingwww.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rr-12-18.pdf
What the source says
“compulsion; (2) the customer must have the unrestricted right to determine the amount; (3) the payment should not be the subject of negotiation or dictated by employer policy; and (4) generally, the customer has the right to determine who receives the payment.”
“Rev. Rul. 2012-18”
- 14Are there fees to use a payroll card?Consumer Financial Protection Bureau · Official source · Page updated · Checked www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/are-there-fees-to-use-a-payroll-card-en-403
What the source says
“Many state laws require that you’re able to access or withdraw your money for free, so check your state’s laws.”
- 15Questions and Answers About the FLSA, DOL WHDU.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: Recordkeeping and Notices, Are pay stubs required?www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa/faq
What the source says
“However, the FLSA does not require an employer to provide employees pay stubs.”
- 16Fact Sheet #21: Recordkeeping Requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)U.S. Department of Labor · Official source · Page updated · Checked Pinpoint: Posting, paragraph 1www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/21-flsa-recordkeeping
What the source says
“Each employer shall preserve for at least three years payroll records, collective bargaining agreements, sales and purchase records.”
“Employers must display an official poster outlining the provisions of the Act, available at no cost from local offices of the Wage and Hour Division and toll-free, by calling 1-866-4USWage (1-866-487-9243).”
“Records on which wage computations are based should be retained for two years,”
- 17Louisiana Works HomepageLouisiana Works · Official source · Page updated · Checked Pinpoint: Footer contactwww.laworks.net
What the source says
“LAWorks Homepage - Louisiana Works”
“Contact us at: (225) 342-3111”
- 18RS 23:967 Employee Protection from ReprisalLouisiana State Legislature · Official source · Checked Pinpoint: RS 23:967(A)–(D); RS 23:967legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=84022
What the source says
“An employer shall not take reprisal against an employee who in good faith, and after advising the employer of the violation of law:”
“Employee protection from reprisal”
- 19Labor Law Information ResourcesLouisiana Works · Official source · Page updated · Checked Pinpoint: Page heading; Agency resource routing to 23:631/632 and legal aid; FLSA complaints use federal DOLwww.laworks.net/laborlawinfo.asp
What the source says
“Labor Law Information Resources”
“Louisiana Final Paycheck Law”
15Methodology
How we research these pages
Every figure on this page comes from an official source, a statute, a regulation or a government agency page, and links to it where it is used. Ferry checks the page against those sources on a schedule and logs every change.
- 1
Official sources only
Statutes, regulations, state labor agencies, city ordinances and the U.S. Department of Labor. No vendor blogs, no AI answers, no secondary summaries as the only source.
- 2
Every figure is linked
Each rate and rule carries a numbered link to the statute or agency page behind it, with the exact pinpoint and, where available, a link that opens at the sentence itself.
- 3
Re-checked on a schedule
Every page is re-checked each January and July, and whenever a state or city changes a rate. Cash wage plus tip credit is checked against the minimum wage on every build.
- 4
Gaps are left out, not guessed
If a rule can't be confirmed from an official source, it isn't shown. The page points to the state agency instead.
What changed on this page
- First version of this page. Every figure was checked against the official sources listed on this page.
Researched by Ferry's tip operations research team. Last reviewed .
Changes to the law itself are listed in What changed and what's coming.
16Every state
Tip laws in every state
Pick any state for its tip credit, tip pool, service charge and card tip rules. Each chip shows the state's tip credit class.
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- Above $2.13Tip credit, cash wage above federal
- $2.13 cashTip credit, federal cash wage
- FederalFederal rates apply
51 of 51 state pages. Open the master guide for the federal baseline, tip credit classes and the full comparison table.