Nashville cannot set a minimum wage above the federal $7.25 floor. Tennessee TCA 50-2-112 preempts all local minimum wage ordinances, and Tennessee itself has no state minimum wage under TCA 50-2-202.
Metro Nashville has no authority to enact a citywide minimum wage. TCA 50-2-112 explicitly preempts cities and counties from setting wage floors above federal or state law. Because Tennessee has no state minimum wage statute (TCA 50-2-202 leaves wage setting to federal law), the federal Fair Labor Standards Act $7.25 hourly minimum and $2.13 tipped cash wage govern all Davidson County workplaces. Lower Broadway servers, hotel housekeepers, music venue staff, and Music City Center subcontractors all earn the federal floor unless individually negotiated. Metro Council has passed resolutions urging higher wages but cannot bind private employers. Metro contracts and direct Metro employees may follow internal living wage policies.
Local enforcement is unavailable because no Metro ordinance can be enacted. Workers paid below $7.25 may file complaints with the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, which can recover back wages, liquidated damages, and willful-violation penalties.
Nashville, TN
Nashville cannot impose a hotel-specific living wage. Tennessee preempts local minimum wage and benefit mandates statewide, leaving hotel housekeepers and fo...
Nashville, TN
Nashville cannot mandate private-sector paid sick or family leave. TCA 50-2-204 preempts cities from requiring leave benefits above any state or federal floo...
Nashville, TN
Nashville cannot require predictable scheduling, advance shift notice, or predictability pay. Tennessee preempts local employment regulation, leaving retail,...
See how Nashville's minimum wage preemption rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.