N.H. Rev. Stat. § 279:21

Current through Chapter 381 of the 2024 Legislative Session

Section 279:21 - [See Note] Minimum Hourly Rate

Unless otherwise provided by statute, no person, firm, or corporation shall employ any employee at an hourly rate lower than that set forth in the federal minimum wage law, as amended. Tipped employees of a restaurant, cigar bar as defined in RSA 178:20-a, II, hotel, motel, inn or cabin, or ballroom who customarily and regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips directly from the customers will receive a base rate from the employer of not less than the minimum direct wage as set forth in the federal minimum wage law, as amended, but in no case less than $3.27 per hour. If such an employee shows to the satisfaction of the commissioner that the actual amount of wages received at the end of each pay period did not equal the minimum wage for all hours worked, the employer shall pay the employee the difference to guarantee the federal statutory minimum wage. The limitations imposed hereby shall be subject to the following exceptions:

I.These limitations shall not apply to employees engaged in household labor, domestic labor, farm labor, nor to outside salesmen, nor to employees of summer camps for minors.

II.These limitations shall not apply to employees engaged as newsboys, non-professional ski patrolmen or golf caddies.

III.[Repealed.]

IV.These limitations shall not apply to a person with less than 6 months' experience in an occupation; provided, however, such person shall not be paid less than 75 percent of applicable statutory minimum wage in an occupation, after application is filed by the employer with the labor commissioner within 10 days after hire.

V.These limitations shall not apply to a person 16 years of age or under; provided, however, such person shall not be paid less than 75 percent of applicable statutory minimum wage rate and evidence of such person is kept on file by the employer.

V-a. These limitations shall not apply to an employee of a ski area who exclusively performs welcoming and guest relation services at a ski area which are not essential to the functional operations of a ski area.

VI, VII. [Repealed.]

VIII.Those employees covered by the introductory paragraph of this section, with the following exceptions, shall, in addition to their regular compensation, be paid at the rate of time and one-half for all time worked in excess of 40 hours in any one week:

(a) Any employee employed by an amusement, seasonal, or recreational establishment if:

(1) It does not operate for more than 7 months in any calendar year; or

(2) During the preceding calendar year, its average receipts for any 6 months of such year were not more than 33- 1/3 percent of its average receipts for the other 6 months of such year. In order to meet the requirements of this subparagraph, the establishment in the previous year shall have received at least 75 percent of its income within 6 months. The 6 months, however, need not be 6 consecutive months.

(b) Any employee of employers covered under the provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended (29 U.S.C. section 201, et seq.); provided however, employers that pay any delivery drivers or sales merchandisers an overtime rate of compensation for hours worked in excess of 40 hours in any one week shall not calculate such overtime rate of compensation by the fluctuating workweek method of overtime payment under 29 C.F.R. section 778.114.

RSA 279:21

Amended by 2021 , 153: 1, eff. on the date the federal minimum wage is increased from the federal minimum wage in effect on the effective date of this act (7/23/2021)..

Amended by 2016 , 316: 3, eff. 11/1/2016.

Amended by 2015 , 1: 1, eff. 4/10/2015.

Amended by 2011 , 204: 1, eff. 8/21/2011 and 2 eff. 12/31/2011.

1949, 310:1, par. 25. 1953, 232:1, par. 25. RSA279:21. 1955, 288:1, par. 25. 1957, 311:1. 1959, 275:1. 1963, 203:1. 1967, 440:10. 1971, 494:1, 2; 552:1, 2. 1973, 350:1. 1977, 234:1. 1983, 267:1. 1985, 83:1. 1986, 63:1; 64:1. 1989, 86:1, 4. 1990, 198:3. 1995, 94:7, XXI. 1997, 226:5. 2007, 24:1. 2008, 327:2, eff. Jan. 1, 2009. 2010, 284:1, eff. July 8, 2010; 284:2, eff. Dec. 31, 2011.

This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.