Montana Overtime Laws
Montana Minimum Wage — As of January 1, 2026, the minimum wage in Montana is $10.85 per hour, adjusted each year for inflation under the state constitution. Montana is a no-tip-credit state: tipped workers must be paid the full $10.85 cash wage, with tips on top, and the state also bars meal credits and training wages, so new hires earn the full rate from day one. Overtime must be paid at 1.5 times the regular rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. A narrow $4.00 rate exists for certain small businesses not covered by federal law, but most employers must pay the full state rate. If your employer isn’t paying you correctly, contact the Frisch Law Firm for a free consultation about your wage and overtime rights.
Last Paycheck
When an employee is laid off or discharged, all wages are due immediately (within four hours or end of the business day, whichever occurs first), unless the employer has a preexisting, written policy that extends the time for payment in which case, the wages may not be delayed beyond the next payday for the period in which the separation occurred, or 15 calendar days, whichever occurs first.
When an employee quits, wages are due on the next scheduled payday for the period in which the employee was separated, or 15 calendar days, whichever occurs first.
