Idaho — Hiring & Onboarding

Idaho employers must report newly hired and rehired employees to the Idaho Department of Labor within 20 calendar days of the date of hire. The requirement applies to all employers doing business in Idaho, regardless of size. A rehire must be reported if the employee's previous employment was terminated at least 60 days before the new start date. The report must include the employee's name, address, Social Security number, and date of hire, along with the employer's name, address, federal employer identification number (FEIN), and Idaho unemployment insurance account number if applicable.

Source: Idaho Code § 72-1604; Idaho Department of Labor — Report New Hires

Idaho Code § 44-1301 prohibits employment of children under 14 years of age in or in connection with any mine, factory, workshop, mercantile establishment, store, telegraph or telephone office, laundry, restaurant, hotel, apartment house, or in the distribution or transmission of merchandise or messages. The statute also makes it unlawful to employ any child under 14 in any business or service during the hours in which the public schools of the district where the child resides are in session, or before 6:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.

A limited exception allows children over age 12 to be employed in the occupations listed in § 44-1301 during the regular vacations of two weeks or more of the public schools of the district in which the child resides. Additionally, a student may be employed by the public schools of the district for a maximum of 10 hours per week, provided the employment is voluntary and with the consent of the student's legal guardian (Idaho Code § 44-1301).

Hour restrictions for minors under 16. Idaho Code § 44-1304 prohibits employing or permitting any person under 16 years of age to work at any gainful occupation for more than 54 hours in any one week, or more than 9 hours in any one day. Minors under 16 may not work before 6:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.

Employer record-keeping requirement. Every person, firm, corporation, agent, or officer employing or permitting minors under 16 years of age and over 14 years of age to work in any mine, factory, workshop, mercantile establishment, store, telegraph or telephone office, laundry, restaurant, hotel, apartment house, or in the distribution or transmission of merchandise or messages must keep a record of the names, ages, and place of residence of all such minor employees (Idaho Code § 44-1303). This recordkeeping obligation specifically applies to minors ages 14 to 16 engaged in these enumerated occupations.

Interaction with federal child labor law. Idaho's weekly and daily hour limits are broader than those under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. For non-agricultural work, the FLSA restricts 14- and 15-year-olds to:

• No more than 3 hours per day or 18 hours per week when school is in session
• No more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week when school is not in session
• Work only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (except until 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day)

Federal law also prohibits employment of minors under 18 in certain hazardous occupations. Where both Idaho and federal law apply, the employer must comply with the stricter standard (usually federal, for 14- and 15-year-olds in non-agricultural settings). Idaho law is silent on hazardous occupation restrictions, so federal standards govern in this area. Primary FLSA restrictions are at 29 C.F.R. Part 570.

Source: Idaho Code § 44-1301; Idaho Code § 44-1303; Idaho Code § 44-1304; 29 C.F.R. Part 570

Idaho imposes no state-level civil or criminal penalties for an employer's failure to report a new hire within the 20-day deadline, nor does it penalize knowingly submitting false information in the new hire report. The controlling authority is found not in statute, but in agency practice: the Idaho Department of Labor specifically acknowledges that, while federal law (the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, or PRWORA) gives states power to levy penalties, Idaho has opted not to do so. This is rare—a handful of states impose fines for late or false new-hire reporting, but Idaho is not currently among them.

For reference, PRWORA (42 U.S.C. § 653a) authorizes states to establish their own penalty regimes and permits the federal government to encourage state enforcement, but does not require a state like Idaho to act if it chooses not to. The Idaho Department of Labor confirms explicitly: “Federal guidelines allow states to impose penalties for noncompliance but right now Idaho does not.”

That means the compliance imperative in Idaho is practical (ensuring unemployment and child support tracking) as opposed to legal risk. Employers should still report new hires timely to avoid federal issues, but there is currently no monetary or criminal sanction imposed by Idaho law itself for failing to meet the 20-day deadline or for submitting inaccurate or false information.

Source: Idaho Department of Labor — New Hire Reporting FAQ

Idaho Code § 44-1305 — Penalties for Child Labor Violations

Idaho imposes criminal penalties on employers, agents, or officers of a corporation who violate the state’s child labor rules under §§ 44-1301 (age restrictions), 44-1302 (recordkeeping), or 44-1304 (hours and prohibited times). Under Idaho Code § 44-1305, each violation is treated as a misdemeanor.

• Fines: On conviction, the offender may be fined not less than $50 and not more than $200 per offense. The statute specifies that each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. This means fines can accumulate: an employer unlawfully employing a minor for three days could face three separate fines, one for each day.
• Imprisonment: The court may impose, instead of or in addition to the fine, imprisonment in the county jail for up to 30 days for each offense.
• Who is liable: Any officer or agent of a corporation, or any employer responsible for wrongful employment, may be prosecuted.

Idaho law does not create a private right of action or liquidated damages claim for aggrieved minors or their families. Enforcement is solely through criminal prosecution initiated by the state or local authorities.

These penalties are in addition to any federal enforcement under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which has its own child labor penalty structure.

Source: Idaho Code § 44-1305

Unable to confirm as of 2026-06-16.

Idaho law does address, albeit narrowly, what wage notice employers must provide at the time of hire. Employers are required to notify employees of the rate of pay and the usual payday upon hiring. However, this notice does not have to be in writing unless the employee requests it.

Idaho Code § 45‑610 — Notice of wage rate and payday. The statute states that every employer must, upon engaging an employee, inform them of their rate of pay and the date on which wages will be paid. This initial notice can be oral, but if the employee subsequently requests written confirmation, the employer must provide it. This obligation also applies anytime any of these terms change during employment. The law states:

> “Every employer shall, at the time of hiring, notify each employee of the rate of pay and the usual day of payment. This notification may be in writing or may be given orally. However, upon the employee's request, the employer shall furnish such notice in writing. Furthermore, the employer must notify the employee of any changes to these terms before the time of change.”

There is no requirement under Idaho law to give new hires a comprehensive written wage notice covering all pay-related information at onboarding, such as deductions or employer contact details—unlike more prescriptive states like California or New York. Only the pay rate and payday must be disclosed.

Department of Labor guidance: As of June 16, 2026, there is no Idaho Department of Labor guidance expanding this rule into a broader written notice requirement beyond what the statute prescribes. Employers should be aware that if an employee requests confirmation of their pay rate and payday in writing, the employer must provide it.

Source: Idaho Code § 45-610