Minimum wage in Montana in 2027

(1) An employer may not employ any employee for a workweek longer than 40 hours unless the employee receives compensation for employment in excess of 40 hours in a workweek at a rate of not less than 1 1/2 times the hourly wage rate at which the employee is employed. (2) An overtime provision does not apply for farm workers.

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statute

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September 27, 2026

Verified September 27, 2026

(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3), every employer of labor in the state of Montana shall pay to each employee the wages earned by the employee in lawful money of the United States or checks on banks convertible into cash on demand at the full face value of the checks, and a person for whom labor has been performed may not withhold from any employee any wages earned or unpaid for a longer period than 10 business days after the wages are due and payable, except as provided in 39-3-205. However, reasonable deductions may be made for board, room, and other incidentals supplied by the employer, whenever the deductions are a part of the conditions of employment, or as otherwise provided for by law. (2) Wages may be paid to the employee by electronic funds transfer or similar means of direct deposit if the employee has consented in writing or electronically, if a record is retained, to be paid in this manner. However, an employee may not be required to use electronic funds transfer or similar means of direct deposit as a method for payment of wages. (3) If an employee submits a timesheet after the employer's established deadline for processing employee timesheets for a particular time period and the employer does not pay the employee within the 10-day period provided for in subsection (1), the employer may pay the employee the wages due in the ensuing pay period. An employer may not withhold payment of the employee's wages beyond the next ensuing pay period. If there is not an established time period or time when wages are due and payable, the pay period is presumed to be semimonthly in length.

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statute

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September 27, 2026

Verified September 27, 2026

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) or (3), when an employee separates from the employ of any employer, all the unpaid wages of the employee are due and payable on the next regular payday for the pay period during which the employee was separated from employment or 15 days from the date of separation from employment, whichever occurs first, either through the regular pay channels or by mail if requested by the employee. (2) Except as provided in subsection (3), when an employee is separated for cause or laid off from employment by the employer, all the unpaid wages of the employee are due and payable immediately upon separation unless the employer has a written personnel policy governing the employment that extends the time for payment of final wages to the employee's next regular payday for the pay period or to within 15 days from the separation, whichever occurs first.

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statute

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September 27, 2026

Verified September 27, 2026

No tip credit, meal credit, or training wage is allowed under Montana's Wage & Hour Laws.

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agency page

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September 26, 2026

Verified September 27, 2026

(1) An employee may recover all wages and penalties provided for the violation of 39-3-206 by filing a complaint within 180 days of default or delay in the payment of wages. (2) Except as provided in subsection (3), an employee may recover wages and penalties for a period of 2 years prior to the date on which the claim is filed if the employee is still employed by the employer or for a period of 2 years prior to the date of the employee's last date of employment. (3) If an employer has engaged in repeated violations, an employee may recover wages and penalties for a period of 3 years from the date on which a claim is filed if the employee is still employed by the employer or for a period of 3 years prior to the date of the employee's last date of employment.

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statute

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September 27, 2026

Notes

Claims are filed online with the Department of Labor & Industry (Filing a Wage Claim page).

Verified September 27, 2026

To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $684 per week.

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agency page

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September 26, 2026

Notes

The 2024 rule raising the level to $844/$1,128 was vacated in November 2024; DOL enforces the 2019 level of $684.

Verified September 26, 2026

no more than 3 hours on a school day , including Fridays; no more than 8 hours on a nonschool day; no more than 18 hours during a week when school is in session; no more than 40 hours during a week when school is not in session;

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agency page

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September 26, 2026

Verified September 26, 2026

Every employer of employees subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage provisions must post, and keep posted, a notice explaining the Act in a conspicuous place in all of their establishments.

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agency page

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September 26, 2026

Notes

The notice DOL publishes for this purpose is the FLSA minimum wage poster (WH-1088), free from the WHD posters page.

Verified September 26, 2026