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. 

$7.25 per hour for most employees (as of 2024)

South Carolina follows the federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25. Local cities tend to follow this wage 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. 

$5.12 for most tipped employees (as of 2024)

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.

→ Find out how Deputy can help you simplify meal and rest break compliance

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.

→ Learn more about Deputy's leave management software

Laws for minors under 14:
Minors under 14 years old are generally prohibited from working. In South Carolina, it’s considered oppressive child labor. Certain exceptions apply, see details here. 

Specific laws for minors 14-15 years old:

• Able to work up to 3 hours per day, 18 hours per week, between 7 AM- 7 PM when school is in session. 

• Able to work up to 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week, between 7 AM- 9 PM when school is not in session. 

Specific laws for minors 16-17 years old:

• No restrictions on hours. 

• Restricted from working in hazardous occupations as defined by federal regulations. 

What’s considered hazardous occupations for workers under 18 in South Carolina:

• Jobs involving explosives

• Motor vehicle driving

• Coat mining

• Logging

• Power-driven machines

• Radioactive substances

• Meat processing

• Bakery machines

• Paper product machines

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

Hiring
South Carolina Law (South Carolina Human Affairs Law) prohibits discrimination when hiring based on the following characteristics:

• Race

• Color

• Religion

• Sex

• National origin

• Age

• Disability

• Marital status

Firing
South Carolina employers have the right to terminate employees at will for nearly any reason and no reason at all provided the reason is not unlawful. However, they cannot fire an employee for discrimination, public policy, jury duty, voting, or whistle-blowing reasons.