Rhode Island Pay Stub Requirements
Official Rhode Island pay stub and payroll tax rules, sourced directly from state and federal agencies.
Create Your Pay StubRhode Island raised its minimum wage to $16.00 on January 1, 2026 and is scheduled to reach $17.00 in 2027. It requires paid sick leave at employers with 18 or more employees, meal breaks on longer shifts, time and a half for Sunday and holiday work in retail, and payout of earned vacation for employees with a year of service. Stubs here also show a Temporary Disability Insurance deduction of 1.1% for 2026.
It's a general guide, not legal or tax advice. For your specific situation, check the source links below or talk to a licensed payroll, tax, or employment-law professional.
Rhode Island paycheck calculatorSee federal and Rhode Island taxes and your take-home pay — free.Is a pay stub required in Rhode Island?
On every regular payday, Rhode Island employers must give each employee a statement of their hours and deductions. It may be provided electronically, but the employer must provide a printed or handwritten copy at no cost if the employee asks in writing. Employers must keep a copy on file.
- Hours worked during the pay period
- All deductions from gross earnings, with an explanation of the basis or reason for each
- Hourly regular rate of pay (employers engaged only in commercial construction)
How often must employees be paid?
Most employees must be paid weekly. Employees whose pay is fixed at a biweekly, semimonthly, monthly or yearly rate are exempt from the weekly rule, as are employees of the state, its political subdivisions and religious, literary or charitable corporations. Other employers may pay less often than weekly only with the Director of Labor and Training's written approval — for higher-wage payrolls, conditioned on paying at least twice a month and posting a surety bond.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-14-2.2
Rhode Island minimum wage
Rhode Island's minimum wage rose to $16.00 an hour on January 1, 2026, and is set by law to rise to $17.00 on January 1, 2027.
- Tipped employees: a cash wage of at least $3.89 per hour (maximum tip credit $12.11), with the employer making up any shortfall to $16.00.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-12-3; RI Department of Labor and Training
Overtime & double time
Rhode Island requires time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek. Most retail employees must also be paid time and a half for work on Sundays and certain holidays.
| Trigger | Pay rate |
|---|---|
| Daily overtime | No daily overtime rule. |
| Weekly overtime | 1.5× the regular rate for hours beyond 40 in a workweek. |
| 7th consecutive workday | No seventh-day rule, but retail Sunday and holiday work is paid at 1.5×. |
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 28-12-4.1, 25-3-3
Meal & rest break requirements
Employees must get a 20-minute meal break during a six-hour shift and a 30-minute meal break during an eight-hour shift. Employers with fewer than three employees on a shift at one site are exempt.
There is no separate rest-break requirement. Short breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes that an employer allows are paid time under federal law.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-3-14
Rhode Island state income tax
Rhode Island levies a progressive income tax with three rates — 3.75%, 4.75% and 5.99% — and one bracket schedule for all filing statuses. Bracket thresholds are adjusted for inflation every year.
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $82,050 | 3.75% |
| $82,050 – $186,450 | 4.75% |
| Over $186,450 | 5.99% |
Source: RI Division of Taxation — Advisory 2025-22 (2026 inflation adjustments); 2026 Employer's Income Tax Withholding Tables
Paid sick leave
Rhode Island's Healthy and Safe Families and Workplaces Act requires paid sick and safe leave at employers with 18 or more employees; smaller employers must provide it unpaid.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Accrual rate | At least 1 hour for every 35 hours worked. |
| Minimum available per year | Up to 40 hours a year. |
| Accrual cap | Unused hours carry over, but employers need not allow more than 40 hours of use or accrual a year. |
| Eligibility & carryover | Employees can be required to wait 90 days after hire before using leave. |
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-57-1 et seq.
Vacation & paid time off (PTO)
Rhode Island does not require paid vacation, but an employee who has worked for the employer for at least a year is entitled to payment for vacation they have earned when they leave.
Earned vacation is part of the wages due at separation for employees with one year of service.
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-14-4
Final paycheck rules
Whenever an employee leaves or is separated from the payroll, unpaid wages are due on the next regular payday at the usual place of payment.
| Situation | Final wages due |
|---|---|
| Fired or laid off | By the next regular payday |
| Quits (with or without notice) | By the next regular payday |
Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-14-4
Other Rhode Island payroll taxes employers should know
Rhode Island employees pay Temporary Disability and Caregiver Insurance (TDI/TCI) contributions through payroll; employers pay unemployment insurance, which includes a Job Development Assessment.
| Tax | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary Disability / Caregiver Insurance (employee) | 1.1% of wages in 2026 (down from 1.3% in 2025) | On the first $100,000 of wages in 2026. |
| Unemployment Insurance (employer-paid) | 0.9%–9.4% under Tax Schedule F in 2026; 1.21% for new employers, including the 0.21% Job Development Assessment | 2026 taxable wage base is $30,800 per employee ($32,300 for employers at the highest rate). |
Source: RI Department of Labor and Training — 2026 Tax Rates for Unemployment Insurance and Temporary Disability Insurance
Common questions about Rhode Island pay stubs
What is Rhode Island's minimum wage in 2026?
$16.00 an hour from January 1, 2026, rising to $17.00 on January 1, 2027. Tipped employees can be paid $3.89 in cash if tips bring them to the full rate.
Will my unused vacation be paid when I leave a Rhode Island job?
Yes, if you have worked there at least a year: earned vacation must be paid with your final wages.
Do Rhode Island employers have to give meal breaks?
Yes — 20 minutes during a six-hour shift and 30 minutes during an eight-hour shift, unless fewer than three employees are on the shift at that site.
What is the TDI deduction on my Rhode Island stub?
Your contribution to Temporary Disability and Temporary Caregiver Insurance: 1.1% of wages in 2026, down from 1.3% in 2025, paid entirely by the employee.
Guides that go with this page
Rhode Island's rules decide what has to appear on the stub. These cover what the figures on it actually mean, wherever you work.
- What a pay stub is, line by line — Every section of a stub and what each figure means.
- Gross pay vs. net pay — Why the amount that reaches your bank is a quarter smaller than your salary.
- When the deposit doesn't match the stub — Split deposits, garnishments and the gap between net pay and the amount in your account.
- 401(k) contributions on a pay stub — Reading the deduction, the employer match, and the 2026 limits.
Sources & references
Every figure on this page links back to the primary source below. State and federal payroll rules change — always confirm current-year figures directly with the agency before relying on exact dollar amounts.
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-14-2.1 (statement of hours and deductions)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-14-2.2 (weekly payment of wages)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-14-4 (payment on separation)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-14-17 (penalty for violations)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-14-19.2 (private right of action)
- RI Division of Taxation — Advisory 2025-22, inflation adjustments for 2026 (PDF)
- RI DLT — 2026 Tax Rates for Unemployment Insurance and Temporary Disability Insurance
- RI Department of Labor and Training — Minimum wage
- RI Department of Labor and Training — Labor standards FAQ
- RI Department of Labor and Training — Guide to wage and workplace laws (PDF)
Last checked: October 2026. See our editorial standards & sources for how these figures are verified.