Charleston cannot require hotels to pay above the federal $7.25 minimum wage. SC §6-1-130 (2002) preempts local minimum wage laws, leaving hotel pay to market forces.
Charleston has no hotel living-wage ordinance and is barred by South Carolina law from enacting one. SC §6-1-130, enacted in 2002, prohibits any county or municipality from setting a minimum wage above the federal level. The federal minimum under the Fair Labor Standards Act remains $7.25 per hour, with $2.13 plus tips for tipped employees. Major Charleston hotels including the Belmond Charleston Place, the Mills House, and the Francis Marion compete on amenities and market rates. The hospitality labor market in Charleston typically pays $13 to $18 per hour for housekeeping and front-desk roles regardless.
No local living-wage penalty applies; federal FLSA minimum-wage violations are enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division with back-pay and liquidated damages.
Charleston, SC
Charleston imposes no hotel worker retention ordinance. South Carolina's right-to-work and preemption framework leaves staffing decisions to ownership, with ...
Charleston, SC
Charleston cannot set a local minimum wage. SC §6-1-130, enacted in 2002, blocks all South Carolina cities and counties from establishing a wage floor above ...
See how Charleston's hotel living wage rules stack up against other locations.
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