Bills affecting W-2 worker (non-union) in Rhode Island — 2026 session

Requires small employers with one to fifty (1-50) employees and large employers with fifty (50) or more employees to pay overtime wages to exempt workers if their salary exceeds varying multipliers of minimum wage for a forty (40) hour workweek.

In effect repeals the provisions of the newly enacted law prohibiting smoking in pari mutual facilities with the exception for businesses operating as a pari mutual facility smoking lounge.

Provides for paid leave for a state employee who donates an organ and duration of the leave is dependent on the type of donation and notice should be provided to the employer at least thirty (30) days prior to the leave.

Sets the minimum wage for 2027 at twenty dollars ($20) per hour.

Requires all health care workers who are employed on any Sunday or holiday, to be compensated at the rate of time and one-half.

Requires employers to provide full-time employees four (4) hours of paid leave once a year to donate blood through and any approved blood donation program.

Eliminates the "until June 30, 2026" sunset on the increase in the total amount of earnings a partial-unemployment insurance claimant can receive before being entirely disqualified for unemployment insurance benefits.

Provides that commencing January 1, 2027, the minimum wage shall be twenty-four dollars ($24.00) per hour.

Allows a modification to federal adjusted gross income for personal income tax for qualified tips and overtime income consistent with the federal tax treatment.

Increases the minimum wage amount for any person committed to the adult correctional institution from $3.00 to $5.00 a day for every day the person shall labor.

Establishes a maximum hourly workday for all peace officers as defined in § 12-7-21 and a violation rate of pay of double time and a half.

Effective January 1, 2028, Increases the hourly minimum wage in accordance with the Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region for the previous four (4) fiscal years.

Mandates the workweek be reduced to 32 hrs. Rate of pay for a 32 hr workweek remains the same as the rate of pay for 40 hrs. Work in excess of 32 hrs in any one workweek qualify for overtime pay. Does not apply to employers with less than 500 employees.

Commencing January 1, 2027, this act would increase the minimum wage for employees receiving gratuities, from the current three dollars and eighty-nine cents ($3.89) to six dollars and seventy-five cents ($6.75) per hour.