Nevada Labor Law Guide 2026: Daily Overtime, Breaks, Paid Leave, and Pay

Nevada is a 24-hour economy. Casinos, hotels, warehouses, and contact centers in Las Vegas and Reno run around the clock, and the state's labor code reflects that with daily overtime, mandatory breaks, and a paid leave law that most Western states lack. The Office of the Labor Commissioner enforces Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 608, and it publishes an annual minimum wage and overtime bulletin each spring.

Minimum Wage in Nevada

Nevada's minimum wage is $12.00 per hour and applies to all employees regardless of whether the employer offers health benefits. The Labor Commissioner explains that "Minimum wage in the state of Nevada increased to $12.00 an hour on July 1, 2024," when Ballot Question 2 took effect and eliminated the old two-tier structure. Nevada does not allow a tip credit; the Labor Commissioner's FAQ states that an employer "may not take all or a part of any tips or gratuities or apply any tips or gratuities as a credit toward the payment of the minimum wage."

For the rate history, the constitutional amendment, and how the $12.00 figure interacts with the overtime threshold, see the Nevada minimum wage guide.

Overtime Rules

Nevada is one of a handful of states with daily overtime, and the rule depends on the employee's pay rate. The Labor Commissioner's FAQ puts it this way: "employees who earn less than $18/hour are eligible for overtime at one-and-one-half the employee's regular rate of pay for time worked over 8 hours in a 24-hour period, or over 40 hours of work in a work week. Employees that make $18/hr or more are eligible for overtime at one-and-one-half times the employee's regular rate of pay for time worked over 40 hours in a work week." The $18.00 figure is 1.5 times the $12.00 minimum wage.

The one exception is a mutually agreed schedule of four 10-hour shifts within a workweek. As the FAQ warns, "any deviations from the 4, 10-hour shifts could cause overtime to accrue." The 24-hour period runs from the start of the employee's shift, so a split schedule that starts at 6 AM one day and 4 AM the next can trigger daily overtime even if no single shift exceeds 8 hours.

Worked example at the minimum wage: an employee paid $12.00 works five 9-hour days. Weekly total is 45 hours, and each day has 1 hour over 8. Daily overtime yields 5 hours at $18.00 ($90.00) plus 40 regular hours at $12.00 ($480.00), or $570.00 gross. The overtime calculator can model daily rules, and the overtime pay laws in the US guide compares Nevada with California and Alaska.

Salaried status does not create an exemption. The FAQ notes that salaried employees "are not automatically exempt from overtime and must meet an overtime exemption under NRS 608.018 and the Fair Labor Standards Act." Nevada uses the federal $684 per week threshold.

Meal and Rest Breaks

Nevada requires both meal and rest breaks under NRS 608.019. The Labor Commissioner states: "An employee must be given a paid, 10-minute break for each 4-hour period of work. In addition, employees are entitled to an unpaid, 30-minute meal period for each 8-hour period of work."

Break type	Requirement	Applies to
Rest break	10 minutes, paid, for each 4 hours worked or major fraction	Employees of employers with 2 or more employees; exempt under some collective bargaining agreements
Meal period	30 minutes, unpaid, for each 8 continuous hours	Same
Single-employee sites	Rest breaks not required when only one employee is on duty at a location	Solo workers
Minors	Same rules plus child labor limits	Under 18

Break time cannot be waived by the employee except through a collective bargaining agreement or a Labor Commissioner exemption. For contact centers, the practical requirement is a schedule that places a paid 10-minute break in each 4-hour block and a 30-minute duty-free meal period in each 8-hour shift. The break time calculator shows the minimum breaks for any shift length, and our rest and meal break laws by state guide covers the details.

Paid Sick Leave and Other Leave

Nevada's paid leave law, NRS 608.0197, is broader than a sick leave mandate: the leave can be used for any reason. The Labor Commissioner summarizes it as "A private employer who employs 50 or more employees in the state of Nevada must provide 0.01923 hours of paid leave per hour of work performed." That is about 40 hours a year for a full-time employee. Employers may front-load the full amount at the start of the benefit year or let it accrue, may cap use at 40 hours a year, may limit carryover to 40 hours, and may require notice of use. Employees can start using leave on the 90th day of employment. Employers in their first 2 years of operation are exempt, as are temporary and seasonal workers.

Leave type	Nevada rule
Paid leave (any reason)	0.01923 hours per hour worked at employers with 50 or more employees; roughly 40 hours a year
Family and medical leave	Federal FMLA; Nevada has no state paid family leave program
Jury duty	Employers may not fire or threaten an employee for jury service; unpaid
Voting	Paid time off of 1 to 3 hours depending on distance to the polls, if there is insufficient time outside work
Domestic violence	Up to 160 hours of leave, paid or unpaid, in a 12-month period for victims and family members, at employers of any size
School activities	4 hours of unpaid leave per school year for parents at employers with 50 or more employees
Military	Federal USERRA plus state protection

See paid sick leave laws in the US for how Nevada's any-reason leave compares with sick-only mandates, and jury duty laws in the US for the court leave rules.

PTO Payout and Final Paychecks

Nevada's final pay deadlines are among the strictest in the West. The Labor Commissioner explains: "A discharged employee's wages shall be due and payable immediately," under NRS 608.020, although "they are not considered late until three days after the last day worked." For resignations, "Final wages must be paid within seven days after the employee resigns or by the next regularly scheduled payday, whichever is earlier." Late final pay accrues penalty wages of up to 30 days at the employee's daily rate.

Payout of unused vacation or PTO follows the employer's written policy. Nevada does not require payout by statute, and accrued paid leave under NRS 608.0197 does not have to be paid out at separation unless the policy promises it. The state's PTO payout laws by state entry has the details.

Pay frequency: employers must pay at least semimonthly, with monthly pay permitted for executive, administrative, and professional employees. Deductions require "a prior specific signed authorization from the employee" that states the amount, purpose, and pay period, per NRS 608.110.

Exempt vs Non-Exempt Employees

Exemptions in Nevada follow NRS 608.018 and the federal tests. The state statute lists its own overtime exemptions, including outside salespeople, employees covered by collective bargaining agreements with overtime provisions, and drivers regulated by federal transportation law, in addition to the executive, administrative, and professional exemptions at the federal $684 weekly threshold. Our exempt vs non-exempt employees guide and the FLSA exemption flowchart cover the duties tests.

Child Labor Rules

Nevada's child labor law, NRS Chapter 609, requires a work permit for minors under 14 (issued by the district court or a designated school official) and sets hour limits for younger workers.

Age group	Daily and weekly limits	Hours of day	Other rules
Under 16	8 hours a day, 48 hours a week under state law; federal 3-hour school-day and 18-hour school-week limits apply to FLSA-covered employers	Federal 7 AM to 7 PM rule (9 PM in summer) for FLSA-covered employers	Work permit required for under 14; no work during school hours
16 and 17	No state hour limits	No state restriction	Barred from hazardous occupations; gaming floor work prohibited under 21
Under 14	Permit required; limited to approved work

Because Nevada's state limits are looser than the federal ones for 14 and 15 year olds, the stricter federal limits govern for almost every employer. See child labor laws in the US.

Other Nevada Employment Rules

• Tip pooling. The FAQ confirms employers "may establish mandatory tip pools that include employees of different ranks, so long as all the tips are distributed amongst the employees, and the employer does not keep any portion."
• Uniforms. Required uniforms that are distinctive must be furnished without cost to the employee under NRS 608.165.
• Pre-employment marijuana testing. Employers generally cannot reject applicants based on a positive marijuana test, with exceptions for safety-sensitive roles, firefighters, and drivers.
• Non-compete limits. Non-competes are unenforceable against hourly employees and must be supported by valuable consideration.
• Pay transparency. Employers must disclose the wage or salary range to applicants who have interviewed and to employees seeking a promotion or transfer, and may not ask about salary history.
• Minimum wage bulletin. The Labor Commissioner publishes the annual minimum wage and overtime bulletin by April 1, effective July 1.

Hiring, Termination, and Record-Keeping

Nevada is an at-will state, with the usual exceptions for discrimination, retaliation, and public policy. The Nevada Equal Rights Commission enforces the state anti-discrimination law, which covers employers with 15 or more employees and adds protections for sexual orientation, gender identity, and lawful off-duty use of products such as cannabis.

Employers must keep records of hours worked, wages paid, and paid leave accrued and used for at least 2 years under NRS 608.115, and the paid leave statute requires those records to be available to the Labor Commissioner on request. Post the annual minimum wage and overtime bulletins, the paid leave bulletin, and the federal notices. Daily overtime makes precise clock-in and clock-out data essential; a time card calculator with daily overtime rules and a written timekeeping policy keep the 24-hour-period calculation defensible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nevada an at-will state? Yes, with exceptions for discrimination, retaliation, and public policy violations.

Does Nevada require lunch breaks? Yes. Employees get an unpaid 30-minute meal period for each 8 continuous hours and a paid 10-minute rest break for each 4 hours worked.

When is overtime paid in Nevada? After 40 hours in a week for everyone, and after 8 hours in a 24-hour period for employees earning less than $18.00 an hour, unless the employee agreed to a four-day, 10-hour schedule.

When is the final paycheck due in Nevada? Immediately on discharge, and within 7 days or by the next payday, whichever is earlier, when an employee quits.

Does Nevada have paid sick leave? Nevada has a paid leave law that is broader than sick leave: employers with 50 or more employees must provide 0.01923 hours of paid leave per hour worked, usable for any reason.

How many hours can a minor work in Nevada? State law limits workers under 16 to 8 hours a day and 48 a week, but the stricter federal limits of 3 hours on a school day and 18 in a school week apply to almost every employer.

Does Nevada allow a tip credit? No. Tipped employees must be paid the full $12.00 minimum wage before tips.

Does Nevada pay out unused PTO? Only if the employer's written policy provides for it; the statute does not require payout.

Sources

• Nevada Office of the Labor Commissioner: Wages
• Nevada Office of the Labor Commissioner: Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
• Nevada Office of the Labor Commissioner: Minimum Wage and Overtime Bulletins
• NRS 608.0197: Employer required to provide paid leave
• US Department of Labor: State Minimum Wage Laws