Who Earns the Federal Minimum Wage?
Around 139 million workers are covered, but big exemptions exist
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), enacted in 1938, is the federal legislation that establishes the general minimum wage that must be paid to all covered workers. In general, the FLSA mandates broad general minimum wage coverage. The act was enacted because its provisions were meant to both protect workers and stimulate the economy. The FLSA also created the Wage and Hour Division (WHD), within the Department of Labor (DOL), to administer and enforce the act. …
