NCGS 95-25.3 fixes North Carolina's minimum wage at the federal $7.25 and NCGS 95-25.22 plus city-charter limits prevent Charlotte from setting a higher local rate, despite cost-of-living growth in Uptown and South End.
North Carolina has not raised its minimum wage above the federal $7.25 since 2009. Under NCGS 95-25.3 the state rate equals the federal rate, and the General Assembly has consistently treated wage and hour rules as a state matter. Cities including Charlotte cannot enact a city-only minimum or living wage applicable to private employers (see also NCGS 153A-449 on contracting). Tipped employees may be paid $2.13 cash with tips bringing the rate to at least $7.25. Charlotte may set wages for its own city employees and was an early adopter of $20+ pay floors for direct city staff.
Private Charlotte employers paying under $7.25 per hour, withholding overtime above 40 hours, or applying invalid tip credits face NC Department of Labor wage-hour audits, back-pay liability, and federal FLSA actions.
See how Charlotte's minimum wage preemption rules stack up against other locations.
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