Frequently Asked Questions
Please read the following before filing a complaint.
Q. Does your agency investigate allegations of human trafficking or human smuggling?
A. No. While LLR is on the S.C. Attorney General's Task Force related to addressing Human Trafficking, LLR is not an agency having authority for investigating or prosecuting offenses related to Human Trafficking. If you are a victim of Human Trafficking, wish to report suspected Human Trafficking, or want to learn more about efforts in South Carolina to combat Human Trafficking, visit the following links:
https://humantraffickinghotline.org/ - a national human trafficking resource center that has a 24 hour hotline to report human trafficking and connects victims to services
http://www.scag.gov/human-trafficking - for more information about the efforts to combat human trafficking or to view the State Plan to address Human Trafficking)
Q. Does my employer have to provide me with breaks and time for lunch/dinner during the day?
A. There is no requirement under South Carolina law for an employer to provide employees with breaks or a lunch period.
Q. Who do I contact if I feel as though I was terminated unfairly?
A. South Carolina is an at-will state, which means that employees may be terminated for any reason, a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason. The employee may also quit for similar reasons without providing notice to employer. You will need to contact an attorney, or if you feel you were discriminated against due to race, color, age, sex, handicap or disability, national origin, and/or religion, you may contact the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission.
Q. If I quit my job, or if I am terminated, does my employer have to pay me all wages due that day?
A. No. State law requires the employer to pay an employee all wages due him or her within 48 hours of the day of separation OR the next regularly-scheduled payday, not to exceed 30 days.
Q. Does my employer have to provide me with paid vacation and/or sick time?
A. No. State law does not require an employer to provide an employee with benefits. However, if an employer decides to do so, he must give notice of the policy to the employee, abide by the policy, and not discriminate in its administering of the policy.
Q. Upon leaving a company, am I entitled to receive pay for any vacation and/or sick time that I have earned but not used?
A. It depends on the company's policy.
Q. Can my employer decrease my rate of pay?
A. Yes. However, if the employer has 5 or more employees, the employee must be notified in writing at least seven calendar days in advance of the proposed decrease in pay.
Q. How old does a minor need to be before he/she can begin work in South Carolina?
A. A minor can begin work at age 14. However, the child labor laws have restrictions on what type of work can be performed and limitations on hours of work.
Q. What documents are needed for a minor to work in South Carolina?
A. The minor will need to provide the employer with a copy of a legal document showing his or her birth date (birth certificate or driver's license).
Q. As an employer, what posters am I required to post in the workplace?
A. LLR offers its posters for a free download at: http://www.llr.sc.gov/wage/posters.aspx.
Q. If a 14 or 15-year-old minor is homeschooled, when can my child work during the school year?
A. 14 and 15-year-old Minors are only allowed to work outside of the hours of the school in the district in which they reside regardless of their schooling status.
Q. How do I obtain a Worker's Permit if I am a minor?
A. South Carolina does not issue Worker's Permits for minors.
Q. When can a 14 or 15-year-old work?
A. A minor aged 14 or 15 years old can work up to 40 hours a week during Spring, Winter, and Summer Break. They are restricted to work a maximum of 3 hours a day when school is in session, 8 hours a day when school is not in session with a maximum of 18 hours a week from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. During the summer period they can work up until 9:00 PM.