Idaho Code
Idaho Code

Idaho Code § 45-601 (2026)

Definitions. 

✓ current as of May 2026
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Definitions. 

Whenever used in this chapter:

(1)  "Claimant" means an employee who filed a wage claim with the department in accordance with this chapter and as the director may prescribe.
(2)  "Department" means the department of labor.
(3)  "Director" means the director of the department of labor.
(4)  "Employee" means any person suffered or permitted to work by an employer.
(5)  "Employer" means any individual, partnership, association, joint stock company, trust, corporation, the administrator or executor of the estate of a deceased individual, or the receiver, trustee, or successor of any of the same, employing any person.
(6)  "Wage claim" means an employee’s claim against an employer for compensation for the employee’s own personal services, and includes any wages, penalties, or damages provided by law to employees with a claim for unpaid wages.
(7)  "Wages" means compensation for labor or services rendered by an employee, whether the amount is determined on a time, task, piece or commission basis.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 36 cases (9 in the last 5 years), 1988–2026 · leading case: Paolini v. Albertson's Inc., 149 P.3d 822 (Idaho 2006).
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Paolini v. Albertson's Inc., 149 P.3d 822 (Idaho 2006). · cites it 76× “Can stock options be wages under Idaho Code §§ 45-601 (7) and 45-613? If so, is it a factual issue as to whether the stock options were issued as wages, to be resolved by a factfinder? 2.”
Lunneborg v. My Fun Life, Corp., 421 P.3d 187 (Idaho 2018). · cites it 4× “The complaint alleged, among other things, that: (1) MFL breached its employment contract with Lunneborg by terminating him without cause and not paying him the $60,000 in severance; and (2) MFL violated the Idaho Wage Claims Act ( Idaho Code section 45-601 et . seq ., 2 ) which…”
Moore v. Omnicare, Inc., 118 P.3d 141 (Idaho 2005). · cites it 12× “Idaho Code § 45-601 (6) defines a "wage claim" as an employee's claim against an employer for compensation for the employee's own personal services, and includes any wages, penalties, or damages provided by law to an employee for a claim of unpaid wages.”
Bilow v. Preco, Inc., 966 P.2d 23 (Idaho 1998). · cites it 20× “Idaho Code § 45-601 (4) defines “wages” as “compensation for labor or services rendered by an employee, whether the amount is determined on a time, task, piece or commission basis.”
Ostrander v. Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co. of Idaho, Inc., 851 P.2d 946 (Idaho 1993). · cites it 8× “OSTRANDER DOES NOT HAVE A CLAIM FOR TREBLE DAMAGES UNDER THE WAGE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 45, CHAPTER 6 OF THE IDAHO CODE Under certain circumstances, an employee may be entitled to treble damages *951 for unpaid commissions under I.C. §§ 45-601 to -617. This statute governs claims…”
Bakker v. Thunder Spring-Wareham, LLC, 108 P.3d 332 (Idaho 2005). · cites it 4× “Idaho Code § 45-601 et seq. (Wage Claim Act) governs an employee’s claim to wages against the former employer.”
Jeffrey Edward Huber v. Lightforce USA, Inc., 367 P.3d 228 (Idaho 2016). · cites it 4× “On summary judgment, the district court concluded that the twelve months’ pay was not wages because it was meant to compensate Huber for complying with the NDA’s non-competition and nondisclosure clauses and not earned in increments as services were performed or in consideration…”
Manning v. Micron Tech., Inc., 506 P.3d 244 (Idaho 2022). · cites it 4× “” Alternatively, Employees contend that they claim “unpaid wages due fifteen days after the end of Fiscal Year 2018 and the November 2018 payments were merely late partial payments of amounts owed.”
Savage v. Scandit, Inc., 417 P.3d 234 (Idaho 2018). · cites it 2× “" I.C. § 45-601(7). Employers are required to pay all wages due to their employees at least once every month.”
Seward v. Musick Auction, LLC, 426 P.3d 1249 (Idaho 2018). · cites it 2× “Seward filed a complaint on May, 8, 2015, in which he alleged that Musick violated the Wage Claim Act, Idaho Code section 45-601, et seq . The district court ordered the parties to mediate.”
Massachusetts v. Morash, 490 U.S. 107 (1989). “§§ 388-1 to 388-13 (1988); Idaho Code §§45-601 to 45-615 (1977 and Supp.”
Smith v. Kount Inc., 497 P.3d 534 (Idaho 2021). · cites it 2× “3d 332, 336 (2005) (citing I.C. § 45-601 et seq.)). The parties do not dispute that the variable compensation in question constituted “wages” for purposes of the Wage Claim Act.”
Show all 36 citing cases →
— Idaho Code § 45-601(2) — 1 case
Callenders, Inc. v. Beckman, 814 P.2d 429 (Idaho Ct. App. 1991).
— Idaho Code § 45-601(3) — 2 cases
Callenders, Inc. v. Beckman, 814 P.2d 429 (Idaho Ct. App. 1991).
Latham v. Haney Seed Co., 807 P.2d 630 (Idaho 1991).
— Idaho Code § 45-601(4) — 2 cases
Bilow v. Preco, Inc., 966 P.2d 23 (Idaho 1998). “Idaho Code § 45-601 (4) defines “wages” as “compensation for labor or services rendered by an employee, whether the amount is determined on a time, task, piece or commission basis.”
De Witt v. Medley, 791 P.2d 1323 (Idaho Ct. App. 1990).
— Idaho Code § 45-601(5) — 1 case
Puckett v. Granite Designs, LLC (D. Idaho 2025).
— Idaho Code § 45-601(6) — 3 cases
Litster v. Litster Frost (Idaho 2024).
Kreb v. Life Flight Network, LLC (D. Idaho 2021).
Rivera (D. Idaho 2025).
— Idaho Code § 45-601(7) — 14 cases
Paolini v. Albertson's Inc., 149 P.3d 822 (Idaho 2006). “Can stock options be wages under Idaho Code §§ 45-601 (7) and 45-613? If so, is it a factual issue as to whether the stock options were issued as wages, to be resolved by a factfinder? 2.”
Moore v. Omnicare, Inc., 118 P.3d 141 (Idaho 2005). “Idaho Code § 45-601 (6) defines a "wage claim" as an employee's claim against an employer for compensation for the employee's own personal services, and includes any wages, penalties, or damages provided by law to an employee for a claim of unpaid wages.”
Bakker v. Thunder Spring-Wareham, LLC, 108 P.3d 332 (Idaho 2005). “Idaho Code § 45-601 et seq. (Wage Claim Act) governs an employee’s claim to wages against the former employer.”
Savage v. Scandit, Inc., 417 P.3d 234 (Idaho 2018). “" I.C. § 45-601(7). Employers are required to pay all wages due to their employees at least once every month.”
Jeffrey Edward Huber v. Lightforce USA, Inc., 367 P.3d 228 (Idaho 2016). “On summary judgment, the district court concluded that the twelve months’ pay was not wages because it was meant to compensate Huber for complying with the NDA’s non-competition and nondisclosure clauses and not earned in increments as services were performed or in consideration…”
— Idaho Code § 45-601(7)(2004) — 1 case
Moore v. Omnicare, Inc., 118 P.3d 141 (Idaho 2005). “Idaho Code § 45-601 (6) defines a "wage claim" as an employee's claim against an employer for compensation for the employee's own personal services, and includes any wages, penalties, or damages provided by law to an employee for a claim of unpaid wages.”
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