Important Facts About FLSA Laws

By Marissa Velazquez


In 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act was established. The latter is also simply referred to as the FLSA laws. The information defined in this Act affected all working American citizens. Although somewhat controversial when first passed, it revolutionized many aspects concerning labor and wages.

The laws were administered by the United States Labor Department's Wage And Hours division and is enforced at the federal level. The Act was signed into law by then-President Roosevelt, and several attempts to amend the law have been defeated by the Supreme Court, as well as Congress. Although certain changes were made by Congress from time to time concerning this law, it is still very similar to how was originally written.

The Act covers overtime pay, the standard workday, and wages. However, overtime rates are sometimes decided by each state, as specific laws may be different at the state level concerning this aspect. The majority of the law, however, as mentioned above, is enforced nationwide.

Although there is no set pattern to the time frame or the increases, federal minimum wage is typically raised on a regular basis. It was raised most recently in 2009 in the month of January, when it increased to a minimum of $7.25. Roosevelt's law initially proposed that these increases adhere to a specific pattern; however, this is no longer in force.

As mentioned above, overtime is also addressed FLSA laws, the latter of which is defined as any time one spends on the clock in excess of forty hours in a single week of work. The rate for federal overtime pay is defined as one and a half times the person's standard rate of pay. Although a national standard is guaranteed under the original law, each state may modify how and when they pay overtime.

The aforementioned Act also regulates standards for record-keeping. Companies must maintain logs of each employee's personal information, the rate of pay he or she receives, and the hours the person works. Businesses must also track daily and weekly earnings, overtime pay, and any deductions or additions associated with the individual's compensation. Employers must also define pay so that all workers know the exact hours for which they are being receiving a paycheck.

Standards for youth workers are somewhat different under this law. For example, minors between the ages of fourteen and seventeen may work up to three hours a day, or eighteen hours a week when school is in session. However, they are permitted to work up to a forty hour week, including eight hour work days during holiday periods. Child labor laws prohibit those under fourteen from working in most cases, with the exception of newspaper routes or similar jobs.

FLSA laws are in place to protect American citizens from unfair labor practices. However, certain employers sometimes attempt to circumvent these regulations. For this reason, anyone who feels that he or she is being treated unfairly in a work environment, or anyone who suspects that child labor regulations are being broken, should contact the appropriate authorities as soon as possible.




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire