South Carolina Worker Rights
South Carolina has no state minimum wage law, but its Payment of Wages Act requires written pay notices and timely final pay.
- South Carolina
Pay
- Minimum wage: no state law, so the federal $7.25 applies to most jobs.
- Overtime: federal rules, 1.5x over 40 hours a week.
- Payment of Wages Act: employers must give written notice of pay and paydays, and pay final wages within 48 hours or by the next regular payday (no more than 30 days). Employers who don’t pay can owe up to three times the unpaid amount.
- Prevailing wage: no state law; Davis-Bacon applies on federal projects.
Breaks and leave
- No state law requiring meal or rest breaks for adults.
- No state paid sick leave law.
Unions and right-to-work
South Carolina is a right-to-work state: a union contract can’t require you to join a union or pay dues or fees to keep your job. You still have the right to organize and act together with coworkers under federal law. See Right-to-Work States.
Where to file
- Unpaid wages and overtime: South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR), Division of Labor.
- Discrimination and harassment: South Carolina Human Affairs Commission, or the U.S. EEOC.
- Safety: SC OSHA, the state plan, covers most private and public employers.
- Work injuries: report the injury to your employer right away, in writing, and follow up with South Carolina’s workers’ compensation agency. See Workers’ Compensation.
Check current rules: this is a summary. Wage rates and labor laws change often, usually on January 1 or July 1, and cities and counties can add their own rules. Confirm details with the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation before acting. Federal protections apply too. See Where to Get Help.
Standards & references
Last updated: