Seasonal Staffing Guide

Tennessee Employment Law

At-Will Employment

Tennessee is an at-will employment state (Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-1-304). Either party may terminate employment at any time, with or without cause or notice. Exceptions: discrimination, retaliation, and contractual obligations.

Minimum Wage

Tennessee follows the federal minimum wage: $7.25/hr. Many Nashville employers pay $12-18/hr to remain competitive. Tipped employees: $2.13/hr minimum if tips bring total to $7.25+.

Overtime

FLSA applies: 1.5x regular rate for hours over 40/week. Exempt employees: salary threshold $35,568/year (may increase). Properly classify employees — misclassification penalties are significant.

Seasonal Hiring Timeline

6 months before: post positions, begin recruiting. 4 months: initial hiring, background checks. 3 months: onboarding, training program development. 2 months: intensive training, dry runs. 1 month: final staffing adjustments, schedule creation. Game week: all-hands-on-deck, daily briefings.

Temp Agencies

Nashville temp agencies specializing in event/hospitality: Randstad, Robert Half, Adecco, Express Employment, Nashville-based specialty agencies. Typical markup: 30-60% above pay rate. Agencies handle: payroll, workers comp, unemployment insurance, I-9 verification. Advantage: reduced administrative burden and employment liability.

Payroll Compliance

Tennessee has no state income tax on wages (eliminated in 2021). Federal payroll obligations: FICA (7.65%), FUTA, withholding. I-9 verification: required within 3 days of hire. E-Verify: not required in TN but recommended. New hire reporting: within 20 days to TN Dept of Labor.