Georgia employment laws emphasize employer flexibility while maintaining key compliance standards around equal pay, voting leave, and E-Verify use. With limited state-level mandates beyond core federal protections, the state’s legal landscape offers clear guidelines without excessive regulation.
When it comes to talent and workforce management, Georgia-based employers need to comply with the following state employment laws:
The below information was last updated July 21, 2025. It is not intended as legal advice. Also, unless otherwise noted below, the following laws predominantly apply to the private sector.
A subset of employment law, labor law focuses on the relationships between employers, employees, and labor unions, particularly in the context of collective bargaining and workplace rights.
Central to US labor law is the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which protects employees’ rights to organize, join unions, and negotiate working conditions while restricting unfair labor practices. Still, states can enact additional laws, such as Right-to-Work statutes, that influence union membership and dues requirements.
Right-to-work states prohibit employers from requiring union membership or dues as a condition of employment (a.k.a. union security agreements).
Georgia is one of 26 states that currently have right-to-work laws.
Employment law governs the individual rights of employees and their professional relationship with their employers, such as working hours, fair wages, anti-discrimination protections, and workplace safety.
| Georgia Minimum Wage | The state of Georgia uses its own minimum wage rate of $5.15 per hour. As this is lower than the wage rates protected under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), it’s only applied to employees not covered by the FLSA. For employees who are covered by the FLSA, the federal rates ($7.25 overall; $2.13 for employees who earn tips with their base pay) are used instead. |
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Georgia Overtime Pay Laws |
Georgia doesn't currently have any overtime pay laws or regulations. However, Georgia-based employers must still comply with FLSA requirements that nonexempt employees receive 1.5 times their normal pay rate when working over 40 hours a week. |
| Georgia Pay Equity Law |
Under Title 34-5 of the annotated Georgia code, public and private employers in the state may not:
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Georgia Pay Transparency Law |
Georgia currently has no pay transparency laws or regulations. |
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Georgia currently has no final paycheck laws or regulations. |
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Georgia PTO Payout Laws |
Georgia doesn’t have specific PTO payout requirements, nor does it have regulations regarding the use of "use-it-or-lose-it" policies. |
| Georgia Paid Sick Leave (PSL) | Georgia currently has no paid sick leave laws or regulations. |
| Georgia currently has no PFML laws or regulations. Although, employers with 50 or more employees must still comply with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which provides eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave every 12 months for various reasons. | |
| Georgia Maternity Leave | Georgia doesn't have a maternity leave law, as this type of leave is an employer-provided benefit. Since the state also doesn’t have a mandated PFML program, employees must instead use FMLA leave or another type of employer-provided leave. |
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Georgia Voting Leave Law |
Under Georgia's state voting leave law, Georgia-based employees, upon reasonable notice to his or her employer, may be permitted by said employer to take any necessary time off (up to two hours) from his or her employment to vote. |
All states must comply with federal health and safety standards overseen by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
While some states adopt additional health and safety regulations, Georgia is an "OSHA plan" state, meaning it defers to OSHA's requirements when addressing health and safety matters, such as having an emergency action plan or providing medical and first aid supplies.
Georgia currently has no work break laws or regulations.
As described by the Georgia Fair Employment Practices Act, and enforced by the state's Equal Opportunities Division, employers in Georgia are prohibited from discriminating against employees based on:
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Georgia also requires employers to comply with specific anti-harassment mandates, also outlined in the state’s Fair Employment Practices Act. Employers must, for example, respond to complaints and remedy the workplace environment.
Georgia doesn't, however, require employees to complete any harassment or discrimination training courses.
| Georgia Non-Compete Agreement Laws |
Georgia is one of several states that limit the use of non-compete agreements. Under state law, such covenants are enforceable if the party seeking to enforce one has a legitimate interest deserving of the restriction (as provided in state statutes), and the restriction is reasonable regarding geographic area and duration.
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Georgia Retirement Plan Laws |
Georgia currently has no mandatory retirement plan laws or regulations. |
| Georgia Employment Verification Laws | All public employers and private employers with 10 or more employees must register with and use E-Verify for all new hires. |
This information is provided as a courtesy and may be updated at any time. It is not intended as legal guidance. If you have questions or concerns, we encourage you to seek the advice of a qualified employment or labor attorney or advisor.
Between constantly changing employment laws and updates to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), keeping your workplace compliant can be a time-consuming and costly challenge. Eliminate the stress and stay up to date with our Compliance Dashboard. View compliance alerts and get a bird’s eye view of what you need to do to avoid fines and penalties.
