The South Carolina
Labor Law Guide

Minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate that employers are legally obligated to pay employees. The federal minimum wage is a wage baseline, but different states, cities, and regions can adopt their own rates. 

South Carolina follows the federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 per hour. Local cities and counties follow this amount and do not set their own higher rates.

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Tipped minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate employers are legally obligated to pay employees who earn a significant portion of their income through tips. 

South Carolina follows federal law (FLSA), which requires a minimum cash wage of $2.13 for tipped employees. Employers may claim a tip credit of up to $5.12 per hour if the employee's tips plus cash wage equal the $7.25 minimum wage.

South Carolina does not have its own overtime laws. Employers must follow the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which requires non-exempt employees to receive paid time and a half for every hour worked over 40 hours within a workweek.

South Carolina wage and hour laws do not generally require an employer to provide a meal period or rest breaks to employees, so the federal rule applies in their case.

The federal rule does not require an employer to provide a meal period or breaks. However, if an employer chooses to do so, breaks, usually of less than 20 minutes, must be paid. Meal or lunch periods (usually 30 minutes or more) do not need to be paid so long as the employee is completely relieved of all duties and is free to do as they wish during the period.

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Vacation leave
South Carolina does not require private employers to provide paid time off to their employees. The employer can choose to offer vacation leave at their discretion. 

Paid Sick Leave
South Carolina has no state laws requiring private employers to provide paid or unpaid sick leave.

Holidays
South Carolina law does not require employers to provide paid or unpaid holiday leave.

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Minors Under 14:

Minors under 14 years old are generally prohibited from working. Employment of a minor under 14 is considered “oppressive child labor.” Exemptions include work in agriculture, acting in theater or film, delivering newspapers, or working for a parent in a non-hazardous business they own.

Minors 14-15 Years Old:

• School Days: Up to 3 hours per day (18 hours per week) between 7 AM and 7 PM.

• Non-School Days: Up to 8 hours per day (40 hours per week) between 7 AM and 7 PM.

• Note: Hours are extended to 9 PM only during summer break (June 1st through Labor Day).

Minors 16-17 Years Old:

• No restrictions on hours or times of day worked.

• Restricted from working in hazardous occupations as defined by the 17 Federal Hazardous Occupations Orders.

Hazardous Occupations for Workers Under 18:

• Jobs involving explosives (manufacturing or storage)

• Motor vehicle driving and outside helper

• Coal mining

• Logging and sawmilling

• Power-driven woodworking, hoisting, or metal-forming machines

• Radioactive substances

• Slaughtering, meat-packing, or processing

• Power-driven bakery machines

• Power-driven paper product machines (including balers and compactors)

• Roofing, wrecking, and excavation operations

Learn more here on other types of hazardous occupations for minors.