Louisiana has no state minimum wage statute. La. R.S. § 23:642 prohibits local minimum wage ordinances; the federal FLSA minimum of $7.25 per hour applies. — Source
Louisiana has no state minimum wage statute. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) minimum of $7.25 per hour applies to covered employers. This page explains the law, who enforces it, and how to file a wage complaint.
Louisiana has no state minimum wage statute. La. R.S. § 23:642 (fetched from legis.la.gov) prohibits local minimum wage ordinances, confirming no state minimum wage has been enacted. Federal FLSA $7.25/hr governs.
Every analysis of minimum wage obligations for Louisiana workers begins with FLSA coverage. If the employer and employee are covered by the FLSA, $7.25 per hour is the floor, effective July 24, 2009.
Louisiana has enacted no minimum wage statute. La. R.S. § 23:642 (fetched from legis.la.gov) prohibits local minimum wage ordinances — establishing that no state minimum wage exists to be supplemented. Multiple bills in recent legislative sessions sought to establish a $12–$14/hr state minimum (HB 209, HB 374, SB 206, SB 530), but none have been enacted as of August 2026.
The federal FLSA $7.25/hr governs for all covered Louisiana employers. For federal FLSA enforcement, contact the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division at dol.gov/agencies/whd.
Statute: La. R.S. § 23:642 (prohibits local minimum wage ordinances; establishes no state minimum); 29 U.S.C. § 207 (FLSA governs for covered employers).
Wage-claim agency: Louisiana Workforce Commission. File a wage claim with the Louisiana Workforce Commission at laworks.net. For FLSA claims, contact the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (dol.gov/agencies/whd).
Regional comparison: Neighboring Arkansas has a $11.00 state minimum wage applying to employers with 4 or more employees under Arkansas Code § 11-4-211; Louisiana has no state minimum at all — one of only five states in that position.
Louisiana's no-state-minimum status was verified by fetching La. R.S. § 23:642 from legis.la.gov, which prohibits local minimum wage ordinances. No enacted state minimum wage statute was found. The federal FLSA minimum ($7.25/hr) is confirmed from the U.S. Department of Labor. See the site's methodology.
No. Louisiana has no state minimum wage law. La. R.S. § 23:642 prohibits local minimum wage ordinances but establishes no state minimum. The federal FLSA minimum of $7.25 per hour applies to covered employers. Multiple proposed bills have not been enacted as of August 2026.
For most workers, no. If your employer is covered by the FLSA, $7.25/hr is the federal floor effective July 24, 2009. Certain narrow FLSA exemptions exist — student workers, apprentices, workers with disabilities under Section 14(c) certificates — but these do not apply to most employees.
Contact the Louisiana Workforce Commission at https://www.laworks.net or the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (dol.gov/agencies/whd) for federal FLSA claims. Both agencies accept wage complaints at no cost.
Yes, as of August 2026. The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 per hour since July 24, 2009 (FLSA amendment). Louisiana has enacted no state law setting a different rate.