Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) (1938)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The FLSA was enacted during the New Deal to establish minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards, addressing abusive labor practices and exploitation.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before FLSA, there was no comprehensive federal wage or hour law. States had patchwork labor laws, but enforcement was inconsistent and often weak.