Workers' Rights
Over the past 100 years, federal, state, and local governments have created a body of laws, rules, and regulations to protect the rights of workers. These laws cover many aspects of work. As it is impossible to review all of these elements and the many situations to which they apply, the following covers some of the major work-related laws. Most of this material is based on an article by Larry Drake and Rachel Moskowitz, "Your Rights in the Workplace," Occupational Outlook Quarterly, volume 41, number 2, summer, 1997.
Wages and Hours
Passed in 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA-52 Stat 1060) is the most important wage and hour law. It applies to all businesses involved in interstate commerce and established rules covering minimum hourly wages, overtime pay, and the work of children. Many states also have statutes that set higher standards than the FLSA. Employers must abide by the more stringent rules.
The minimum wage was increased to $5.15 an hour on September 1, 1997. With a few minor exceptions, the FLSA requires that workers earning an hourly wage be paid overtime pay at least one and one-half times the regular pay rate for all hours worked in the workweek after the first 40 hours.
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