Massachusetts labor laws for hourly staff: minimum wage, breaks and minors
The US Department of Labor (updated November 5, 2026) lists Massachusetts's basic minimum rate as: $15.00. Other rates or conditions in the DOL entry are quoted below. The DOL meal-period table (revised January 1, 2023) lists a meal-period requirement for adult private-sector employees for Massachusetts, and its rest-period table does not list a paid rest-period requirement (the DOL notes: states not listed do not require paid rest periods).
Massachusetts labor rules at a glance
| Topic | What the US DOL table says for Massachusetts | Source date |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $15.00 | November 5, 2026 |
| Overtime / premium pay | Premium Pay After Designated Hours 1 : Weekly - 40 | November 5, 2026 |
| Meal break (adults) | See table below | January 1, 2023 |
| Paid rest break (adults) | Not listed; DOL: states not listed do not require paid rest periods | January 1, 2023 |
| Minors under 16: max hours | 8-48-6 | July 15, 2025 |
| Minors 16–17: max hours | 9-48-6 | July 15, 2025 |
| Night work, under 16 | Only between 6:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the school year. Only between 6:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. during the summer (from July 1 through Labor Day). | July 15, 2025 |
| Night work, 16–17 | Only between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. (on nights preceding a regularly scheduled school day) - if the establishment stops serving clients or customers at 10:00 p.m., the minor may be employed until 10:15 p.m. Only between 6 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. (on nights not preceding a regularly scheduled school day). Exception for restaurants and racetracks: only between 6 a.m. and 12:00 midnight (on nights not preceding a regularly scheduled school day). | July 15, 2025 |
Minimum wage in Massachusetts
Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $15.00
Premium Pay After Designated Hours 1 : Weekly - 40
In no case shall the Massachusetts minimum wage rate be less than $0.50 higher than the effective federal minimum rate.
DOL footnote 1: The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate, unless otherwise specified.
The DOL notes that some local governments set minimum wages higher than the state rate, and that subminimum or training rates are not shown in its table.
Meal breaks in Massachusetts
| Rule | Prescribed by | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Workers have a right to at least a 30-minute meal break or each 6 hours worked in a calendar day. During their meal break, workers must be free of all duties and free to leave the workplace. | Statute | Excludes iron works, glass works, paper mills, letter press establishments, print works, and bleaching or dyeing works. |
The DOL lists Massachusetts among the jurisdictions with separate meal-period provisions for minors.
DOL footnote 3/: Not displayed in table are exemptions for executive, administrative and professional employees, and for outside salespersons.
Rest breaks in Massachusetts
Massachusetts is not listed in the DOL table of paid rest-period requirements (revised January 1, 2023). The DOL table states: "States not listed do not require paid rest periods."
Scheduling minors in Massachusetts
Hours notation is the DOL's: daily-weekly-days per week (for example 8-40-6). Where state law is less restrictive than federal law, federal law applies; where it is more restrictive, state law applies (29 U.S.C. 218(a), as quoted by the DOL).
| Age | Maximum hours | Night work prohibited |
|---|---|---|
| Under 16 | 8-48-6 | Only between 6:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the school year. Only between 6:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. during the summer (from July 1 through Labor Day). |
| 16 and 17 | 9-48-6 | Only between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. (on nights preceding a regularly scheduled school day) - if the establishment stops serving clients or customers at 10:00 p.m., the minor may be employed until 10:15 p.m. Only between 6 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. (on nights not preceding a regularly scheduled school day). Exception for restaurants and racetracks: only between 6 a.m. and 12:00 midnight (on nights not preceding a regularly scheduled school day). |
DOL table footnotes: (a) State hours limitations on a school day and in a school week usually apply only to those enrolled in school. (b) Students of 14 and 15 enrolled in approved Work Experience and Career Exploration programs may work during school hours up to 3 hours on a school day and 23 hours in a school week. (c) Combined hours of work and school.
A blank cell is blank on the DOL table. The federal (FLSA) row of the same DOL table, for minors under 16: 3 hours on a school day and 18 in a school week, 8 hours on a non-school day and 40 in a non-school week, and no work from 7 p.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day) to 7 a.m.
Tools: overtime calculator · labor cost calculator · all states
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your state labor department for current rules.
Questions
What is the minimum wage in Massachusetts?
The US DOL (updated November 5, 2026) lists: $15.00 See the full DOL entry on this page for conditions.
Does Massachusetts require meal breaks for adults?
Yes, the DOL meal-period table (revised January 1, 2023) lists a requirement for Massachusetts; see the table on this page.
Does Massachusetts require paid rest breaks?
No. Massachusetts is not in the DOL paid rest-period table, which states that states not listed do not require paid rest periods.
Sources
- US DOL, Overtime Pay (checked 2026-11-12)
- State Minimum Wage Laws (US DOL) (checked 2026-11-12)
- Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector 1 (US DOL) (checked 2026-11-12)
- Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements Under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (US DOL) (checked 2026-11-12)
- Selected State Child Labor Standards Affecting Minors Under 18 in Non-farm Employment as of July 15, 2025 (US DOL) (checked 2026-11-12)
- US DOL, Breaks and Meal Periods (checked 2026-11-12)