39-3-404. Minimum wage. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this part and except for farm workers as provided in subsection (2), an employer shall pay to each employee a wage of not less than the applicable minimum wage as determined by the commissioner in accordance with 39-3-409.

(2) In the case of a farm worker employed for a part of a calendar year that includes periods requiring working hours in excess of 8 hours a day and other seasonal periods requiring working hours substantially less than 8 hours a day, the employer may pay the worker at a fixed rate of compensation during the term of employment. The employer may elect to:

(a) keep a record of the total number of hours worked by the worker during the part of the year during which the worker was employed bythe employer, but the total wages paid by the employer to the employee for that part of the year during which the employee was employed by the employer may not be less than the applicable minimum wage rate multiplied by the total number of hours worked; or

(b) in lieu of the minimum wage set forth in this part, pay the farm worker a wage as defined in this section on a monthly basis. This monthly compensation must constitute a minimum wage and may not be less than $635 a month beginning January 1, 1990.