Trends and Issues: Fair Labor Standards Act

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 was enacted 65 years ago with an important mission: Establish child labor standards, prohibit gender discrimination in the workplace, protect employees from excessive work hours without fair compensation, ensure employee pay does not fall below an established minimum and establish employer recordkeeping standards. Today the FLSA, particularly its overtime requirements, is widely considered in need of serious reform and updating to complement today�s working environment.

This article outlines the history and key provisions of the FLSA, summarizes the proposed changes to the Act‹including revisions to the white collar exemption rules proposed by the Department of Labor on March 31, 2003‹and answers some frequently asked questions regarding the FLSA�s overtime and minimum wage provisions.

: Fair Labor Standards Act

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