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Wage and hour in Arizona.

Arizona wage and hour: minimum wage, overtime, meal and rest breaks, final-pay timing, and pay-stub content rules.

What changes in Arizona

  • Report lookback (context): 7 years (FCRA default). Arizona reports follow the FCRA seven-year cap for non-convictions; convictions can be reported indefinitely.
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"How do I decide whether a salaried operations manager is FLSA exempt? Focus on Arizona."

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Practitioner steps for Arizona

  1. Step 1. Pay at least the Arizona minimum wage — track any AZ city minimums (e.g. Seattle, Denver, NYC) that exceed the state floor.
  2. Step 2. Follow the AZ overtime rule; several states diverge from the FLSA 40-hour trigger (e.g. California daily overtime).
  3. Step 3. Provide meal and rest breaks per state law and document waivers where allowed.
  4. Step 4. Issue final pay within the AZ-required window after separation and include all accrued wages, PTO, and commissions where applicable.

Applicable Arizona statutes and references

  • ARS §36-2813 (AMMA)
  • ARS §13-905 (set-aside)
  • Exec. Order 2017-07
  • 15 U.S.C. §1681 et seq. (federal FCRA)

Frequently asked (federal + Arizona overlay)

What are the FLSA exemption tests?

An employee is exempt from federal overtime only if they meet all three tests: paid on a salary basis, paid at or above the current DOL salary threshold, and performing exempt executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, or computer duties as defined in 29 CFR Part 541. Job title does not control — actual duties do.

Does California have different overtime rules than federal law?

Yes. California requires daily overtime after 8 hours in a workday and double-time after 12, in addition to the federal weekly 40-hour threshold. Several other states also have daily overtime or seventh-consecutive-day rules.

Do we have to pay for meal breaks?

Under the FLSA, bona fide meal periods of 30 minutes or more are generally unpaid if the employee is fully relieved of duty. State law is often stricter — California requires premium pay if a compliant meal or rest break is not provided.

Is off-the-clock work compensable?

Yes. Time an employer knows or has reason to know the employee is working — including remote email after hours or pre-shift setup — is compensable under the FLSA and virtually every state analogue. A written policy prohibiting off-the-clock work is not a defense on its own.

Related Arizona topics

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