The Alaska Labor Law Guide

Minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate that employers are legally required to pay covered employees. The federal minimum wage provides a baseline, but states may set a higher minimum wage.

Alaska has a statewide minimum wage under the Alaska Wage and Hour Act. The Alaska minimum wage was:

• $11.73 per hour effective January 1, 2024

• $11.91 per hour effective January 1, 2025

• $13.00 per hour effective July 1, 2025

• $14.00 per hour effective July 1, 2026

• $15.00 per hour effective July 1, 2027

Alaska’s minimum wage is also subject to indexing/adjustment rules for future years.

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Tipped minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate employers are legally required to pay employees who customarily and regularly receive tips.

Alaska does not allow a tip credit. Employers must pay tipped employees the full Alaska minimum wage for all hours worked, regardless of the amount of tips the employee receives. Tips may not be counted toward satisfying the employer’s minimum wage obligation.

Overtime

Alaska has its own overtime law under the Alaska Wage and Hour Act. Non-exempt employees must be paid overtime at a rate of one and one-half (1.5) times their regular rate of pay for:

• All hours worked over eight (8) hours in a single workday, and

• All hours worked over forty (40) hours in a workweek.

Hours paid as daily overtime are not counted again toward weekly overtime calculations.

Exceptions

• Certain employees may be exempt from Alaska’s overtime requirements, including bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees, as determined using the federal FLSA exemption tests.

• In addition, employers with fewer than four employees in the regular course of business are exempt from Alaska’s overtime requirements, but are still required to comply with minimum wage laws. All actively engaged officers and part-time employees are counted when determining employer size.

Alaska wage and hour laws require employers to provide minors under the age of 18 with a 30-minute unpaid meal or rest break when the minor is scheduled to work six or more consecutive hours. The break must occur after the first hour and a half of work and before the beginning of the last hour of work.

In addition, a minor who works five consecutive hours without a break is entitled to a 30-minute break before continuing to work.

Alaska employers are not required to provide meal or rest breaks to employees age 18 and over. However, if an employer chooses to provide breaks, breaks lasting 20 minutes or less must be paid. Meal periods longer than 20 minutes do not need to be paid so long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties and performs no work during the meal period.

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Vacation leave
Alaska law does not require private employers to provide paid or unpaid vacation leave. If an employer chooses to offer vacation leave, the terms of that leave are generally governed by the employer’s written policy or employment agreement.

Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for qualifying reasons, including a serious health condition or certain military-related reasons.

Alaska Paid Sick Leave (Effective July 1, 2025)

Alaska voters approved Ballot Measure 1 on November 5, 2024, creating a new statewide paid sick leave requirement effective July 1, 2025. The law generally applies to employees statewide, subject to statutory exclusions.

Accrual

Employees must accrue paid sick leave at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked.

Annual Accrual Caps

Employers may cap annual accrual and use of paid sick leave as follows:

• 40 hours per year for employers with fewer than 15 employees

• 56 hours per year for employers with 15 or more employees

Permitted Uses

Paid sick leave may be used for:

• The employee’s own illness, injury, or health condition

• Caring for a family member with an illness, injury, or health condition

• Certain qualifying absences related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking involving the employee or a family member

Holidays
Alaska doesn’t require private employers to provide paid or unpaid holiday leave. If an employer wants to offer paid or unpaid holiday leave to their employees, it must be under both the company’s policy and employee contract.

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Child Labor – Work Hours and Restrictions

Alaska law restricts the hours and types of work minors may perform. Requirements vary based on the minor’s age and whether school is in session.

Work Hour Limits for Minors Under 16 (when school is in session)

Minors under 16 years of age:

• May work only between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

• May not work more than 23 hours in a workweek

During School Vacations

Minors under 16 years of age:

• May work up to 40 hours per week

• May work only between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Permitted Occupations for Minors (under the age of 14)

Minors under 14 years old may generally work only in the following occupations:

• Newspaper sales or delivery

• Babysitting

• Domestic employment in or about private homes

• Employment in the entertainment industry

Employment in the entertainment industry requires an approved work permit.

Additional Restrictions

Alaska law also imposes restrictions on:

• The types of occupations minors may perform

• Hazardous work

• Work involving alcohol-related establishments or activities

These restrictions vary based on the minor’s age and the nature of the work.

Hiring
As of 2026, Alaska does not have a pay transparency law. Employers can ask applicants about their criminal history anytime, and there is no “ban the box” legislation.

Firing
Generally, Alaska employers have the right to terminate employees at-will for nearly any reason and for no reason at all, with the exception of discrimination or unlawful reasons.