Dallas County, TX Employment Preemption: Minimum Wage Preemption (2026)
Key Facts
- State preemption
- TX Labor Code 62.0515
- Federal floor
- $7.25 per hour
- County authority
- Own employees only
- County living wage
- Around $15/hr internal
- Enforcement
- USDOL Wage and Hour
Summary
Texas Labor Code Section 62.0515 preempts any city or county from setting a minimum wage above the federal $7.25 per hour floor. Dallas County cannot enact a higher local wage.
Sec. 62.0515. APPLICATION OF MINIMUM WAGE TO CERTAIN GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES; CERTAIN AGREEMENTS WITH GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, the minimum wage provided by this chapter supersedes a wage established in an ordinance, order, or charter provision governing wages in private employment, other than wages under a public contract ... (d) For purposes of this section, "governmental entity" includes a municipality, a county, a special district or authority, a junior college district, or another political subdivision of this state.
Full Breakdown
Texas Labor Code Section 62.0515 expressly bars municipalities and counties from establishing a minimum wage that exceeds the federal Fair Labor Standards Act rate, currently $7.25 per hour since 2009. Dallas County government has no authority to legislate a higher minimum wage for private employers within its boundaries, including Dallas, Irving, Garland, Mesquite, and unincorporated areas. The county may set wages for its own employees and contractors, and Dallas County Commissioners Court has adopted a county-employee living wage (around $15 per hour) that applies only to county payroll. Private workers default to the federal minimum, enforced by US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division.
Violations & Fines
Private employers paying below the federal $7.25 floor face USDOL back-wage liability, liquidated damages, and civil penalties. Dallas County imposes no additional local minimum wage enforcement on private businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Dallas County raise the minimum wage for private workers?
What if I am paid less than $7.25 per hour?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dallas County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Dallas County to another location·View the Texas employment preemption overview
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