What is the Fair Labor Standards Act and how does it relate to agricultural labor?
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law that was enacted by Congress in 1938 and is enforced by the US Department of Labor. FLSA protects the rights of agricultural workers by setting standards for wages, overtime, and minimum age requirements. In Virginia, FLSA requires that all agricultural employers in the state provide employees with a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, with overtime wages of one and a half times the regular rate of pay for every hour worked over 40 hours in a week. Furthermore, the FLSA sets limits for how many hours a minor under the age of 16 may work. Minors between the ages of 14 and 15 may work no more than 8 hours during a school day and no more than 24 hours during a school week. Teens between the ages of 16 and 17 may work no more than 10 hours per day, and no more than 48 hours per week. By setting these standards, the FLSA ensures that agricultural workers are adequately compensated for their labor and that employers are not taking advantage of minors by requiring excessive hours. This is important in Virginia, where agricultural labor is a major industry and employees are often vulnerable to exploitation. The FLSA thus serves to protect these workers and secure their basic rights.
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