Requires small employers with one to fifty (1-50) employees and large employers with fifty (50) or more employees to pay overtime wages to exempt workers if their salary exceeds varying multipliers of minimum wage for a forty (40) hour workweek.

Rhode Island Overtime Expansion Bill

This bill would require Rhode Island employers to pay overtime wages to certain salaried workers who are currently exempt from overtime rules. Under existing law, many salaried employees — such as managers or professionals — do not qualify for overtime pay no matter how many hours they work. This bill would change that by setting salary thresholds tied to multiples of Rhode Island's minimum wage. Workers earning below those thresholds would become eligible for overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours per week.

The bill distinguishes between small employers (those with 1 to 50 employees) and large employers (those with 50 or more employees), applying different salary multipliers to each group. This means the income cutoff that determines overtime eligibility would vary depending on the size of the company someone works for. Salaried employees whose pay falls below the applicable threshold for their employer's size would be entitled to overtime compensation.

This bill would affect a broad range of people — both workers and employers across Rhode Island. Salaried employees who currently work long hours without extra pay could see increased earnings if the bill becomes law. Employers, particularly larger businesses, may face higher labor costs and would need to adjust payroll practices or staffing decisions. Small businesses would have somewhat different obligations than larger ones under the tiered structure.

Currently, the bill has been referred to the House Labor Committee and was recommended to be held for further study, meaning it has not yet advanced through the legislative process. No final vote has been taken.