Employment & Worker Protection · Rhode Island

Rhode Island Minimum Wage

R.I. Gen. Laws 28-12-3 - enacted in Rhode Island.

Status
Enacted
Enacted
2022
States with employment & worker protection laws
51
Rhode Island tracker score
48/100 Above median

The bottom line

Rhode Island Minimum Wage is an enacted law in Rhode Island, part of a mature, broadly-adopted employment & worker protection landscape.

Enacted
effective 2025-01-01
51
states have employment & worker protection laws
107/107
employment & worker protection laws enacted nationally
48/100
Rhode Island tracker score

Data compiled 2026-03-18 from the official Rhode Island legislative record linked below; laws can be amended or repealed after this date.

Category catalog share · regulations

How 107 tracked employment & worker protection records split by state

Exclusive Rhode Island vs other-state counts in this category (sum to the category total). Orthogonal to the peer scatter below, which plots enacted volume against portal tracker score.

Regulatory Snapshot: Rhode Island Minimum Wage

Rhode Island Minimum Wage (R.I. Gen. Laws 28-12-3) is an enacted law in Rhode Island under the Employment & Worker Protection category. It was enacted on 2022-07-01 and becomes effective on 2025-01-01. Rhode Island currently has 3 regulations tracked here, with 3 records marked enacted in this dataset. PlainRegWatch's tracker score is 48/100; it summarizes coverage within the five categories this site tracks and is not an official state rating. PlainRegWatch compiled this entry's data on 2026-03-18; consult the linked official source for the current, authoritative text.

Nationally, 107 employment & worker protection statutes have been enacted and 0 additional bills remain pending - 51 distinct jurisdictions have codified rules in this area so far. That places Rhode Island within a mature and broadly adopted employment & worker protection landscape where compliance programs typically hinge on definitions in R.I. Gen. Laws 28-12-3 itself.

Applicability under Rhode Island Minimum Wage: All RI employers. Penalty exposure is documented as: Dept of Labor and Training enforcement. Back wages. Notable exemptions: Agricultural workers, outside salespeople..

Summary

Rhode Island minimum wage $15.00/hr (2025). Tipped workers: $3.89/hr.

Key Requirements

  • $15.00/hr (2025).
  • Tipped: $3.89/hr + tips to $15.00.

Penalties

  • Dept of Labor and Training enforcement.
  • Back wages.

Applicability

  • All RI employers.

Exemptions

  • Agricultural workers, outside salespeople.

Official Source

https://dlt.ri.gov/employers/wage-and-hour/minimum-wage

Category context

How Rhode Island sits among employment & worker protection peers

51 states have a tracked record in employment & worker protection ; Rhode Island ranks #17 by portal tracker score among those peers. Each point is one state with at least one employment & worker protection regulation in this archive.

Fewer enacted, higher tracker scoreMore enacted, higher tracker scoreFewer enacted, lower tracker scoreMore enacted, lower tracker score0.8 enacted2.1 enacted3.5 enacted4.9 enacted6.3 enacted12.8/10034.6/10056.4/10078.2/100100/100Enacted laws in this categoryPortal tracker scoreAlabama, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Alaska, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Arizona, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 28/100Arkansas, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100California, Enacted laws in this category: 6 enacted · Portal tracker score: 100/100Colorado, Enacted laws in this category: 5 enacted · Portal tracker score: 76/100Connecticut, Enacted laws in this category: 4 enacted · Portal tracker score: 62/100Delaware, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 59/100District of Columbia, Enacted laws in this category: 3 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Florida, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 48/100Georgia, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Hawaii, Enacted laws in this category: 3 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Idaho, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Illinois, Enacted laws in this category: 5 enacted · Portal tracker score: 62/100Indiana, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100Iowa, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100Kansas, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Kentucky, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100Louisiana, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 28/100Maine, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Maryland, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 48/100Massachusetts, Enacted laws in this category: 5 enacted · Portal tracker score: 48/100Michigan, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Minnesota, Enacted laws in this category: 3 enacted · Portal tracker score: 62/100Mississippi, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Missouri, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Montana, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100Nebraska, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100Nevada, Enacted laws in this category: 4 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100New Hampshire, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100New Jersey, Enacted laws in this category: 3 enacted · Portal tracker score: 48/100New Mexico, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100New York, Enacted laws in this category: 5 enacted · Portal tracker score: 62/100North Carolina, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100North Dakota, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Ohio, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Oklahoma, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Oregon, Enacted laws in this category: 6 enacted · Portal tracker score: 62/100Pennsylvania, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Rhode Island, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 48/100South Carolina, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100South Dakota, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Tennessee, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100Texas, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 69/100Utah, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 55/100Vermont, Enacted laws in this category: 3 enacted · Portal tracker score: 48/100Virginia, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 59/100Washington, Enacted laws in this category: 5 enacted · Portal tracker score: 62/100West Virginia, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 28/100Wisconsin, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Wyoming, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100
Employment & Worker Protection peer states: enacted laws in this category versus portal tracker score (0–100)
Read the peer-state figures
  • California: 6 enacted of 6 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 100/100.
  • Colorado: 5 enacted of 5 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 76/100.
  • Texas: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 69/100.
  • Connecticut: 4 enacted of 4 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 62/100.
  • Illinois: 5 enacted of 5 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 62/100.
  • Minnesota: 3 enacted of 3 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 62/100.
  • New York: 5 enacted of 5 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 62/100.
  • Oregon: 6 enacted of 6 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 62/100.
  • Washington: 5 enacted of 5 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 62/100.
  • Delaware: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 59/100.
  • Virginia: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 59/100.
  • Utah: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 55/100.
  • Florida: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 48/100.
  • Maryland: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 48/100.
  • Massachusetts: 5 enacted of 5 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 48/100.
  • New Jersey: 3 enacted of 3 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 48/100.
  • Rhode Island (this state): 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 48/100.
  • Vermont: 3 enacted of 3 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 48/100.
  • Alabama: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • District of Columbia: 3 enacted of 3 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • Hawaii: 3 enacted of 3 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • Maine: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • Nevada: 4 enacted of 4 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • North Dakota: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • Oklahoma: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • Pennsylvania: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • Indiana: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • Iowa: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • Kentucky: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • Montana: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • Nebraska: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • New Hampshire: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • Tennessee: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • Arizona: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 28/100.
  • Louisiana: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 28/100.
  • West Virginia: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 28/100.
  • Alaska: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Arkansas: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Georgia: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Idaho: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Kansas: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Michigan: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Mississippi: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Missouri: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • New Mexico: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • North Carolina: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Ohio: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • South Carolina: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • South Dakota: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Wisconsin: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Wyoming: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.

Dashed lines mark the peer averages in this category. The tracker score summarizes enacted records across all five policy areas PlainRegWatch tracks; it is not enforcement strength or legal burden. Read how tracker scores are computed.

Tracker-score ranking on employment & worker protection

Top peer states by portal tracker score among jurisdictions with a employment & worker protection record in this archive.

#StateTracker score
1California100
2Colorado76
3Texas69
4Connecticut62
5Illinois62
6Minnesota62
7New York62
8Oregon62
9Washington62
10Delaware59

Read with Rhode Island Minimum Wage

Nearest employment & worker protection volume peers and same-state archive siblings for this ENACTED · SLIM row.

ENACTED SLIM

Florida · 2 enacted

Florida holds 2 enacted employment & worker protection rows (more by 0 than Rhode Island); tracker 48/100.

Maryland · 2 enacted

Maryland holds 2 enacted employment & worker protection rows (more by 0 than Rhode Island); tracker 48/100.

Delaware · 2 enacted

Delaware holds 2 enacted employment & worker protection rows (more by 0 than Rhode Island); tracker 59/100.

Virginia · 2 enacted

Virginia holds 2 enacted employment & worker protection rows (more by 0 than Rhode Island); tracker 59/100.

Rhode Island Data Transparency and Privacy Protection Act · ENACTED

Another Rhode Island archive row (Data Privacy) stamped ENACTED beside ENACTED Rhode Island Minimum Wage.

Rhode Island TDI/TCI + Healthy and Safe Families Act · ENACTED

Another Rhode Island archive row (Employment & Worker Protection) stamped ENACTED beside ENACTED Rhode Island Minimum Wage.

Disclaimer: This summary is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Regulation details may have changed since this data was compiled (2026-03-18). Always consult official sources and qualified legal counsel for compliance guidance.

More Rhode Island Regulations

enacted

Rhode Island Data Transparency and Privacy Protection Act
enacted

Rhode Island TDI/TCI + Healthy and Safe Families Act

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from official state legislatures, IAPP, NCSL, and federal regulatory trackers. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainRegWatch.

Verify with the official Rhode Island source →

Every figure on PlainRegWatch is rendered from curated state legislative and Federal Register source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Status, dates, and source URL are this record's row in the curated archive, not a live legislature scrape. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026. Tracker scores and rule counts are curated records in five tracked categories - not enforcement strength, legal advice, a complete inventory of US law, or a live bill-status feed.