The Oklahoma Labor Law Guide

Minimum wage is the lowest hourly rate an employer can legally pay. The federal rate is a baseline, and states, cities, and regions can set their own.

Oklahoma's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Under the Oklahoma Minimum Wage Act, the state-specific rules apply to employers with ten (10) or more full-time employees at any one location, or a gross annual business volume of $100,000 or more. That said, most Oklahoma employers are also covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which requires the $7.25 rate regardless of those thresholds.

A tipped minimum wage is the lowest hourly rate an employer can pay workers who earn a significant share of their income from tips.

Tipped employees must receive a cash wage of at least $2.13 per hour. Their tips plus the $2.13 cash wage have to add up to at least the $7.25 hourly minimum wage. If they do not, the employer pays the difference.

Oklahoma has no state overtime law. It follows the FLSA, which requires non-exempt employees to be paid time and a half for every hour worked over 40 in a workweek.

Oklahoma has no generally applicable law requiring meal periods or breaks for employees who are sixteen years of age or older, so the federal rule applies here.

Federal law does not require employers to provide meal periods or breaks. If an employer does offer them, breaks of 20 minutes must be paid.

Vacation leave

Oklahoma has no state law requiring private employers to provide paid or unpaid vacation leave.

Sick leave

Oklahoma has no state law requiring private employers to provide paid or unpaid sick leave.

Holidays

Oklahoma has no state law requiring private employers to provide paid or unpaid holiday leave.

Minors ages 14 and 15

• When school is in session: up to 3 hours per day and 18 hours per week. "In session" means any week where school is held for any part of the week.
• When school is not in session: up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week.
• Permitted hours: may work between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM.
• Summer extension: from June 1st through Labor Day, evening hours extend to 9:00 PM.

Oklahoma requires more frequent rest periods for this age group than for adults:

• 30-minute cumulative rest period for every 5 consecutive hours worked.
• 1-hour cumulative rest period for every 8 consecutive hours worked.

They may work only in permitted non-hazardous occupations. There are no exceptions for 14- and 15-year-olds to work in Hazardous Occupations (HOs).

Minors ages 16 and 17

• Hours: once a minor reaches age 16, there are no state or federal limits on the number of hours or the times of day they can work.
• Occupations: they may work in any non-hazardous occupation.
• Work-based learning exceptions: those enrolled in a bona fide work-based learning internship or apprenticeship may work in certain restricted Hazardous Occupations under strict safety conditions and supervision.

Hazardous occupations (prohibited for all minors under 18)

Unless a specific apprenticeship exception applies for 16- and 17-year-olds, all minors are prohibited from:

• Jobs involving explosives, coal mining, or logging.
• Operating power-driven woodworking, hoisting (forklifts), or metal-forming machines.
• Slaughtering, meat-packing, or using power-driven bakery and paper-product machines (balers).
• Roofing, wrecking, demolition, and excavation operations.