Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

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.

Acts

Equal Pay Act of 1963

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (29 U.S.C. § 206(d))

2) Why It Was Done
The Act was passed to address wage disparities between men and women by making it illegal for employers to pay unequal wages for substantially equal work.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) established minimum wage and overtime protections but did not address gender-based wage discrimination. This Act amended the FLSA.