Your work. Your records.
Cabinetmaker and Bench Carpenter Workplace Records
Cabinetmaking can involve marking stock, assembling components and checking fit before finishing. A workplace concern may depend on the dimensions or revision supplied to you. Describe the assigned piece in general terms and distinguish your fabrication work from design approval or later installation decisions.
Call now(800) 800-5555Free initial case evaluation. Representation depends on work state and case eligibility. This guide explains record preparation; it does not determine whether a legal claim exists.
A record map for your role
What to organize first
Revision history
Identify dimension changes and when the revised instruction reached you.
Rework decision
List the observed fit issue, your report and the role authorizing further work.
Own work record
Match your time entry with required preparation, assembly and finishing duties.
Start with the work you actually do
Cut, shape, and assemble wooden articles or set up and operate a variety of woodworking machines, such as power saws, jointers, and mortisers to surface, cut, or shape lumber or to fabricate parts for wood products.
O*NET classifies this occupation as Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters (51-7011.00). Its description covers a typical occupation, not every workplace or individual job. It does not establish employee status, overtime eligibility or employer misconduct.
- Verify dimensions or check the quality or fit of pieces to ensure adherence to specifications.Source task 12211 · updated 08/2026
- Produce or assemble components of articles, such as store fixtures, office equipment, cabinets, or high-grade furniture.Source task 12210 · updated 08/2026
- Trim, sand, or scrape surfaces or joints to prepare articles for finishing.Source task 12219 · updated 08/2026
- Measure and mark dimensions of parts on paper or lumber stock prior to cutting, following blueprints, to ensure a tight fit and quality product.Source task 12213 · updated 08/2026
A reference point for your pay records
May 2025 wage estimates by state
Compare your pay records with published BLS estimates for Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters (SOC 51-7011). These describe an occupation across employers. They are not a required pay rate, an overtime calculation, or evidence of discrimination or unpaid wages.
Select your work state to see its published pay range. No personal pay information is requested or sent.
The 25th and 75th percentiles mark the middle half of the estimated wage distribution; the median is its midpoint. Actual pay can differ with experience, employer, location and duties. Hourly and annual figures are shown as published, without converting one into the other.
All published state estimates for this occupation
| State | Hourly 25th | Hourly median | Hourly 75th | Annual median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $17.36 | $18.53 | $21.81 | $38,550 |
| Arizona | $20.65 | $21.92 | $24.02 | $45,580 |
| Arkansas | $18.55 | $24.07 | $40.71 | $50,070 |
| Connecticut | $22.55 | $27.93 | $32.28 | $58,100 |
| Delaware | $21.32 | $28.89 | $29.64 | $60,090 |
| Florida | $18.62 | $22.29 | $24.05 | $46,360 |
| Georgia | $17.59 | $20.33 | $22.98 | $42,280 |
| Hawaii | $19.31 | $23.58 | $29.61 | $49,050 |
| Idaho | $18.67 | $21.57 | $23.36 | $44,870 |
| Indiana | $18.00 | $21.90 | $22.74 | $45,550 |
| Iowa | $21.21 | $22.65 | $27.28 | $47,110 |
| Kansas | $18.23 | $19.88 | $22.81 | $41,350 |
| Kentucky | $17.94 | $19.44 | $23.53 | $40,440 |
| Louisiana | $17.51 | $18.88 | $22.24 | $39,280 |
| Maine | $19.78 | $23.15 | $28.25 | $48,150 |
| Michigan | $22.12 | $23.34 | $28.00 | $48,550 |
| Minnesota | $22.25 | $23.43 | $28.42 | $48,740 |
| Mississippi | $14.10 | $18.66 | $24.20 | $38,800 |
| Missouri | $18.22 | $22.10 | $24.02 | $45,980 |
| Montana | $19.76 | $23.04 | $28.50 | $47,920 |
| Nebraska | $18.82 | $23.37 | $29.08 | $48,600 |
| New Hampshire | $23.01 | $27.88 | $30.36 | $57,980 |
| New Mexico | $21.47 | $22.70 | $26.36 | $47,210 |
| New York | $23.22 | $28.21 | $34.18 | $58,680 |
| North Carolina | $18.39 | $22.12 | $23.93 | $46,010 |
| North Dakota | $19.35 | $22.66 | $24.41 | $47,140 |
| Ohio | $18.66 | $22.81 | $24.76 | $47,430 |
| Oklahoma | $16.00 | $17.61 | $22.90 | $36,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $19.66 | $22.89 | $28.48 | $47,610 |
| Rhode Island | $24.02 | $25.38 | $28.96 | $52,800 |
| South Dakota | $18.43 | $22.09 | $24.11 | $45,950 |
| Tennessee | $18.50 | $22.33 | $23.96 | $46,440 |
| Texas | $16.72 | $18.43 | $22.00 | $38,340 |
| Utah | $18.31 | $22.31 | $23.96 | $46,390 |
| Vermont | $22.51 | $27.70 | $32.16 | $57,620 |
| Virginia | $18.54 | $22.07 | $26.73 | $45,910 |
| West Virginia | $17.93 | $20.38 | $21.58 | $42,400 |
| Wisconsin | $19.50 | $22.50 | $27.25 | $46,790 |
| Wyoming | $18.68 | $22.30 | $26.05 | $46,380 |
“Not published” preserves unavailable or suppressed source cells. “Above reporting limit” preserves a top-coded source value without inventing a number. A missing state estimate does not establish service eligibility. The data describe wage and salary employment; they do not measure self-employment income.
Source: BLS May 2025 state workbook · OEWS tables · BLS technical notes. Use your own schedule, pay statement and compensation terms to identify the question you want reviewed.
Trace dimensions and fit checks
Record the drawing version and measurements you were directed to use. Note material substitutions or changes requested after cutting began. Distinguish a fit issue you observed at the bench from one reported during installation, and record who authorized rework.
Explain preparation and finishing tasks
List marking, assembly, sanding and cleanup relevant to your own schedule or production target. Note material delays or shared-equipment interruptions you reported. Compare these activities with your time entry rather than treating completed units as a complete measure of work.
Keep designs and equipment protected
Do not take customer plans, templates, proprietary shop methods or sample components for personal evidence. Identify relevant records by type and version. Never operate a tool to recreate an incident; keep your own assignment messages, training and employment feedback separately.
Choose your next step
Review the workplace retaliation guide, unpaid wages guide, or discrimination guide if those concerns fit your experience. A job title alone does not establish a claim.
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