Idaho Employment Laws for Employers

Final pay and unused vacation

Final paycheck

If you fire someone, when is the last paycheck due?Next payday or 10 days (not counting weekends and holidays), whichever is soonerVerified Aug 31, 2026 · 2 official sources

On layoff or termination by either the employer or the employee, all wages due must be paid by the earlier of the next regularly scheduled payday or within 10 days, weekends and holidays excluded. (Idaho Code 45-606(1) (via Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-08-31))

“(1) Upon layoff, or upon termination of employment by either the employer or employee, the employer shall pay or make available at the usual place of payment all wages then due the employee by the earlier of the next regularly scheduled payday or within ten (10) days of such layoff or termination, weekends and holidays excluded.”

legislature.idaho.gov · govinfo.gov

Calculate the exact date

Put it in writing with the termination letter template for Idaho.

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If an employee quits, when is the last paycheck due?Next payday or 10 days (not counting weekends and holidays), whichever is soonerVerified Aug 31, 2026 · 2 official sources

On layoff or termination by either the employer or the employee, all wages due must be paid by the earlier of the next regularly scheduled payday or within 10 days, weekends and holidays excluded. (Idaho Code 45-606(1) (via Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-08-31))

Same official text as quoted above (see the quote; Idaho Code 45-606(1) (via Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-08-31) · legislature.idaho.gov).

Same official text as quoted above (see the quote; U.S. District Court, D. Idaho, No. 1:23-cv-00349, quoting Idaho Code § 45-606 · govinfo.gov).

legislature.idaho.gov · govinfo.gov

Report an error

Pending verification. Not verified for Idaho yet, so no answer is shown. Each link opens the official source to check.

• Unused vacation at separation api.isc.idaho.gov

Wages, paydays and breaks

Minimum wage

What is the minimum wage?$7.25 per hourVerified Aug 31, 2026 · 2 official sources

Idaho's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. (State Minimum Wage Laws (U.S. DOL Wage and Hour Division table, updated July 1, 2026))

“Idaho Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.25”

“no employer shall pay to any of his employees any wages computed at a rate of less than seven dollars and twenty-five cents ($7.25) per hour for employment.”

dol.gov · legislature.idaho.gov

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Paydays

How often do you have to pay?MonthlyVerified Jul 12, 2026 · 2 official sources

Idaho requires employers to pay all wages due at least once each calendar month on regular paydays designated in advance. (State Payday Requirements (U.S. DOL Wage and Hour Division table, January 1, 2023))

“Idaho X Illinois X X 2”

“Every employer shall pay all wages due to its employees at least once during each calendar month on regular paydays designated in advance.”

dol.gov · labor.idaho.gov

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Pending verification:

• Meal breaks labor.idaho.gov
• Rest breaks labor.idaho.gov

Paid sick leave

Pending verification:

• Paid sick leave labor.idaho.gov

Ending employment

At-will employment

Yes. Idaho follows at-will employment, with these exceptions (Davis v. George and Jesse's Les Schwab Tire Store, Inc. (Idaho Sup. Ct., Docket No. 49535), quoting Edmondson v. Shearer Lumber Prods., 139 Idaho 172, 75 P.3d 733 (2003)):

• Public policy: Recognized (Davis v. George and Jesse's Les Schwab Tire Store, Inc. (Idaho Sup. Ct., Docket No. 49535), citing Edmondson v. Shearer Lumber Prods., 139 Idaho 172, 75 P.3d 733 (2003))
• Implied contract: Recognized (Davis v. George and Jesse's Les Schwab Tire Store, Inc. (Idaho Sup. Ct., Docket No. 49535), quoting Edmondson v. Shearer Lumber Prods., 139 Idaho 172, 75 P.3d 733 (2003))
• Good faith and fair dealing: pending verification (official source)

Public policy exception: recognized?RecognizedVerified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources

Idaho recognizes a public policy exception to at-will employment: an employer may be liable when its motivation for firing an at-will employee contravenes public policy. (Davis v. George and Jesse's Les Schwab Tire Store, Inc. (Idaho Sup. Ct., Docket No. 49535), citing Edmondson v. Shearer Lumber Prods., 139 Idaho 172, 75 P.3d 733 (2003); Kreb v. Life Flight Network, LLC, No. 3:16-cv-00444-REB (D. Idaho, Memorandum Decision and Order, filed Mar. 12, 2018), citing Mallonee v. State, 84 P.3d 551 (Idaho 2004))

“unless the employer’s motivation for termination contravenes public policy”

“The right to discharge an at-will employee is limited by considerations of public policy, such as when the motivation for the firing contravenes public policy.”

api.isc.idaho.gov · govinfo.gov

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Implied contract exception: recognized?RecognizedVerified Sep 27, 2026 · 2 official sources

Idaho treats an employee as at will unless hired under a contract that specifies the duration of employment or limits the reasons for discharge; the Idaho Supreme Court refers to an express or implied agreement limiting at-will employment. (Davis v. George and Jesse's Les Schwab Tire Store, Inc. (Idaho Sup. Ct., Docket No. 49535), quoting Edmondson v. Shearer Lumber Prods., 139 Idaho 172, 75 P.3d 733 (2003); U.S. District Court, D. Idaho, No. 1:12-cv-00057, citing Bollinger v. Fall River Rural Electric Coop., Inc., 272 P.3d 1263, 1269 (Idaho 2012))

“A plaintiff’s subjective understanding is insufficient to establish an express or implied agreement limiting at-will employment.”

“The long-standing rule is that employment in Idaho is presumed to be at-will unless the employee is hired pursuant to a contract that states a fixed term or limits the reasons for discharge.”

api.isc.idaho.gov · govinfo.gov

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Pending verification:

• At-will: good faith exception api.isc.idaho.gov
• Service letter labor.idaho.gov
• Separation notice labor.idaho.gov

Idaho and its neighbors

Verified rules only; open a state for its sources.

What an employee costs in Idaho

Every employer pays Social Security 6.2% (Publication 15), Medicare 1.45% (Topic 751) and FUTA (Topic 759). Idaho adds its unemployment insurance tax:

Of the $3,502, $400 is Idaho unemployment insurance tax (1.00% on the first $40,000 of wages) and $3,102 is federal tax.

The estimate counts FUTA at 0.6% of the first $7,000 ($42 per employee), which assumes the full FUTA credit (Topic 759).

Estimate for a new employer and a full year; check with your payroll provider. Sources: U.S. DOL, State UI Laws, July 2026, page 2; U.S. DOL, FUTA credit reductions.

Federal wage enforcement in Idaho

In FY2021 to FY2025, the federal Wage and Hour Division concluded 239 cases in Idaho (n = 239), 214 with violations, finding $4,326,859 in back wages owed to 5,851 employees and assessing $3,091,262 in civil money penalties (DOL enforcement data). Overtime back wages were part of 47.2% of the violation cases. OSHA opened 1,842 inspections in the same years (OSHA data). Enforcement data is not a violation rate: it shows where federal investigators looked. Wage violations by industry.

Idaho has no OSHA-approved State Plan for private workplaces, so federal OSHA enforces workplace safety for private employers in Idaho (OSHA: State Plans).

Changelog

• Sep 26, 2026: verified: minimum wage, now backed by two independent official sources. (legislature.idaho.gov)
• Sep 26, 2026: verified: payday frequency, now backed by two independent official sources. (labor.idaho.gov)
• Sep 26, 2026: verified: at-will exceptions (public policy), now backed by two independent official sources. (govinfo.gov)
• Sep 28, 2026: verified: final pay after a firing, now backed by two independent official sources. (legislature.idaho.gov)
• Sep 28, 2026: verified: final pay after a resignation, now backed by two independent official sources. (legislature.idaho.gov)
• Sep 28, 2026: verified: at-will exceptions (implied contract), now backed by two independent official sources. (api.isc.idaho.gov)

Questions about Idaho employment laws

Sources (10)

• State Minimum Wage Laws (U.S. DOL Wage and Hour Division table, updated July 1, 2026)
• Idaho Code 44-1502(1) (via Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-08-31)
• State Payday Requirements (U.S. DOL Wage and Hour Division table, January 1, 2023)
• Idaho Department of Labor, Guide to Idaho labor laws 2025 (via Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-07-12), citing Idaho Code 45-608
• Idaho Code 45-606(1) (via Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-08-31)
• U.S. District Court, D. Idaho, No. 1:23-cv-00349, quoting Idaho Code § 45-606
• Davis v. George and Jesse's Les Schwab Tire Store, Inc. (Idaho Sup. Ct., Docket No. 49535), quoting Edmondson v. Shearer Lumber Prods., 139 Idaho 172, 75 P.3d 733 (2003)
• U.S. District Court, D. Idaho, No. 1:12-cv-00057, citing Bollinger v. Fall River Rural Electric Coop., Inc., 272 P.3d 1263, 1269 (Idaho 2012)
• Kreb v. Life Flight Network, LLC, No. 3:16-cv-00444-REB (D. Idaho, Memorandum Decision and Order, filed Mar. 12, 2018), citing Mallonee v. State, 84 P.3d 551 (Idaho 2004)
• U.S. Department of Labor: State labor offices

Checked Sep 27, 2026 · How we verify every rule · Report an error

Where this goes next

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