Alaska Wage and Hour Law

Overtime Pay Law in Alaska

Overtime law in AK states that most workers must receive overtime pay when working more than 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week.  Overtime compensation is 1.5 times the employee's regular pay rate.  Those working at companies with four or more employees are eligible for overtime pay.

Please visit the Alaska Division of Labor Standards and Safety at http://labor.state.ak.us/lss/whhome.htm to find out more information about overtime pay in Alaska.

Minimum Wage in AK

Effective Jan. 1, 2010, the minimum wage in Alaska will rest at $7.75 per hour.

Record Keeping and Alaska Employers

Employers in Alaska must provide their workers with a pay stub every pay period that outlines the following:

• Hours worked
• Wages earned
• Wages paid
• Rate of pay
• Deductions
• Start and end dates for the pay period

Rest Periods and Meal Breaks

Employers in Alaska must give 30-minute break periods to workers between the ages of 14 and 17 who work five or more hours.Employers are not obligated to offer breaks for workers 18 or older. If an employer allows breaks, and they last less than 20 minutes, the employee must be compensated. If an employer gives their workers meal breaks which last more than 20 minutes, they do not have to pay the employee for this time, as long as the worker is completely relieved of their job duties.

Payment of Wages in Alaska

Fired employees: Employees who are terminated must be paid all wages owed withing three working days of the firing, not counting holidays or weekends.

Employees who quit: These employees must receive their final paycheck by the next regularly scheduled payday that falls at least three work days after the employee's final day.

Withholding pay: Alaska employers are only allowed to withhold wages in the certain instances. Cash or cash register shortages, lost, missing, or stolen property as long as the worker has freely given a written statement saying they have personally taken the specific amount of cash or property alleged to be lost, missing or stolen and that wages may be withheld. If an employee has borrowed money from a third party, the employee can give the employer written permission to deduct payments from your earnings. If the employer has loaned an employee funds, they can deduct the amount from their earnings as long as you have given written authorization.  In general, paycheck deductions cannot decrease the worker's pay beneath the minimum wage or interfere with overtime pay.

For more information, view the Alaska Department of Labor Website