# Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-113: State preemption of wage theft laws, ordinances or rules

> Tennessee · Statutes · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-113

## Section

- **Citation:** Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-113
- **Heading:** State preemption of wage theft laws, ordinances or rules
- **Jurisdiction:** Tennessee
- **Kind:** Statutes
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** TN Code / Title 50 / Chapter 2 / Section 50-2-113

## Text

(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Tennessee Wage Protection Act." (b) The general assembly finds as a matter of public policy that it is necessary to declare the theft of wages and the denial of fair compensation for work completed to be against the laws and policies of this state. (c) Employers and employees alike benefit from consistent and established standards of wage theft regulation. Existing federal and state laws, including, but not limited to, the Fair Labor Standards Act ( 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.), the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 ( 29 U.S.C. § 251 et seq.), the Davis-Bacon Act ( 40 U.S.C. § 3141 et seq.), the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act ( 41 U.S.C. § 6701 et seq.), the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Protection Act ( 29 U.S.C. § 1801 et seq.), the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act ( 29 CFR 5.1 et seq.), the Copeland Anti-Kickback Act ( 18 U.S.C. § 874 and 40 U.S.C. § 3145 ), and this chapter, seek to protect employees from predatory and unfair wage practices while also providing appropriate due process to employers. (d) A county, municipality, or political subdivision of the state shall not adopt or maintain in effect any law, ordinance, or rule that creates requirements, regulations, or processes for the purpose of addressing wage theft. Any additional wage theft ordinance or regulation that exceeds the designated state and federal laws in subsection (c) shall be explicitly preempted by the state. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 623,s 2, eff. 7/1/2024. Added by 2013 Tenn. Acts, ch. 91, s 4, eff. 4/11/2013.
(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Tennessee Wage Protection Act."
(b) The general assembly finds as a matter of public policy that it is necessary to declare the theft of wages and the denial of fair compensation for work completed to be against the laws and policies of this state.
(c) Employers and employees alike benefit from consistent and established standards of wage theft regulation. Existing federal and state laws, including, but not limited to, the Fair Labor Standards Act ( 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.), the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 ( 29 U.S.C. § 251 et seq.), the Davis-Bacon Act ( 40 U.S.C. § 3141 et seq.), the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act ( 41 U.S.C. § 6701 et seq.), the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Protection Act ( 29 U.S.C. § 1801 et seq.), the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act ( 29 CFR 5.1 et seq.), the Copeland Anti-Kickback Act ( 18 U.S.C. § 874 and 40 U.S.C. § 3145 ), and this chapter, seek to protect employees from predatory and unfair wage practices while also providing appropriate due process to employers.
(d) A county, municipality, or political subdivision of the state shall not adopt or maintain in effect any law, ordinance, or rule that creates requirements, regulations, or processes for the purpose of addressing wage theft. Any additional wage theft ordinance or regulation that exceeds the designated state and federal laws in subsection (c) shall be explicitly preempted by the state.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 623,s 2, eff. 7/1/2024.
Added by 2013 Tenn. Acts, ch. 91, s 4, eff. 4/11/2013.

## Nearby sections

- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-101 Prospective employee to be informed as to wages - Exceptions - Enforcement](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-101.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-102 Redemption of coupons or scrip](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-102.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-103 Payment of employees in private employments](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-103.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-104 Misrepresenting wages in new employment](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-104.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-105 Restrictions on assignment of income - Court orders](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-105.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-106 Company stores](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-106.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-107 Distribution of service charges or gratuities](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-107.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-108 Collection of claims and judgments for wages](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-108.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-109 Assessment of penalties](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-109.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-110 Offset of moneys owed by employee to employer](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-110.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-111 Application of chapter](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-111.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-112 Restrictions on local government authority regarding requiring private employers to pay wages in excess of federal and state minimum hourly wage laws](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-112.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-113 State preemption of wage theft laws, ordinances or rules](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-113.md)
- [Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-114 Payment of federal minimum wage](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-114.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T50_C2_S50-2-113. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.