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Rhode Island

Employ in Rhode Island

Updated on: October 1, 2025

Currency

USD

Employer Taxes

Federal, Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment, Workers' Compensation, Disability, TDI

Payroll Frequency

Weekly.

Employee Taxes

N/A

Language

English

Date Format

MM/DD/YYYY

Rhode Island by the Numbers

Population

1.1 million

GDP

65.5 billion

Weekly Working Hours

Time and a half for hours worked over 40 in a workweek; special rules for certain industries.

National Holidays

10

Hiring Difficulty Score

N/A

State Information

Navigate the complexities of employment in Rhode Island with our comprehensive resources.

Hiring

Title

Title

Title

Leave

Paid Time Off

Sick Days

Maternity Days

Weekly Working Hours

Time and a half for hours worked over 40 in a workweek; special rules for certain industries.

National Holidays

  • New Year’s Day – January 1
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Third Monday in January
  • Presidents’ Day (Washington’s Birthday) – Third Monday in February
  • Memorial Day – Last Monday in May
  • Independence Day – July 4
  • Labor Day – First Monday in September
  • Columbus Day (or Indigenous Peoples’ Day in some areas) – Second Monday in October
  • Veterans Day – November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day – Fourth Thursday in November
  • Christmas Day – December 25

Leave

Paid sick leave: 1 hour per 35 hours worked, up to 40 hours/year; paid family leave up to 6 weeks.

Employment Contracts

Federal law does not mandate written employment contracts, but specific conditions and exceptions may apply.

Types of Employment

Employees (including Temporary and Part Time workers) and Independent Contractors.

Employment Costs

FUTA: 6% on wages up to $7,000 annually;
Social Security: 6.20% on wages up to $176,100
Medicare Tax: 1.45% on wages
Unemployment Tax: 1.12% to 9.59%
Disability Tax: 1.1% of the first $84,000 of wages, fully funded by employees (2024)
Workers’ Compensation
Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)
Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) Program: 1.3% of wages up to the taxable wage limit

IC Class Factors

The Common Law test which is a set of guidelines used to determine whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. They revolve around how much control is exercised over the worker in the provision of their services to a client/customer by considering 20 factors in three key areas: financial, relationship and behavior.

Labor Leasing

No labor leasing license is required.

Minimum Wage Requirements

$15.00 per hour, effective January 1, 2025.

Medical Benefits

Follows federal ACA requirements; state mandates for specific coverage and health benefits.

Probationary Periods

No specific state regulations; employer discretion.

Termination Notice

At-will employment; no notice required, but WARN Act applies for mass layoffs (60 days’ notice).

Severance

No mandatory severance pay.

Pre-hire Checks

Ban-the-box.

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Employee Cost Calculator

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