Skip to content
Caregiver Scheduling

New Mexico overtime rules for home care workers

Last verified October 28, 2026 · All New Mexico resources

In New Mexico, overtime is time-and-a-half after 40 hours in a workweek. The state minimum wage is $12.00 an hour. The federal Home Care Rule bars agencies from the companionship and live-in exemptions, though the Department of Labor stopped enforcing it against agencies in July 2025 while it considers undoing it. New Mexico's own law also requires overtime for agency caregivers, so they would still be owed it if the federal rule is undone.

What are New Mexico's overtime and minimum wage rules?

Minimum wage$12.00 an hour
Weekly overtime After 40 hours
Daily overtime None

Does New Mexico law require overtime for agency caregivers?

Yes. New Mexico requires 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours (NMSA 50-4-22), removed its domestic service exclusion in 2019, and has no exclusion for companions or for workers covered by the federal law. Workers paid by piecework, flat rate or commission are excluded, so check per-visit pay plans.

Does New Mexico have special rules for home care workers?

Senate Bill 85 (2019) removed the exclusion of domestic service in private homes from the New Mexico Minimum Wage Act (NMSA 50-4-21), so domestic workers, including home caregivers, are covered by state minimum wage and overtime rules.

Calculate a week of overtime in New Mexico

Preset with New Mexico's daily overtime rule. Enter each day's hours across all clients.

Hours worked each day, all clients combined

Preset for New Mexico.

Total pay owed

$936.00

Includes $72.00 overtime premium

Total hours

48

Regular rate $18.00/hr

Overtime hours

8

Weekly overtime after 40 hours at 1.5× the regular rate, counting every client the caregiver worked for you. Simplified: seventh-day and double-time rules need separate review.

Checking the whole roster? Open Overtime watch for New Mexico →

Sources

More for New Mexico

Overtime rules by state: other states

Related guides

Compliance

Do Home Care Agencies Have to Pay Caregivers Overtime?

Yes. Since January 1, 2015, agencies cannot use the companionship or live-in exemptions, so every caregiver gets time-and-a-half after 40 hours. Who is covered, what counts, and the 2025 proposal to change it.

These free tools are made by the team behind Caregiver Scheduling, caregiver scheduling software for home care agencies.

Simple pricing

From $199 /month

Up to 10 caregivers on Starter, 50 on Growth.

More than 50 caregivers? We'll put together a custom Scale plan for your agency.