What is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)?

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law enacted in 1938 that establishes the basic rights of workers in the United States. This law sets standards for minimum wages, overtime pay, record-keeping, and child labor. The FLSA generally applies to all employees working in certain businesses, though exemptions exist for certain industries and occupations. Under the FLSA, employees must generally be paid at least the federal minimum wage, currently $7.25 per hour. The law also requires employers to pay overtime to employees who work more than 40 hours in a workweek. Overtime is calculated at 1.5 times the employee’s regular rate of pay. The law also prohibits employers from requiring employees to work off the clock, not reporting hours, or engaging in other deceptive practices. The FLSA also places limits on the hours that children under the age of 16 years old may work. In Mississippi, the minimum wage is set at the federal minimum wage. Additionally, the state upholds the FLSA’s overtime laws, meaning overtime must be paid to employees who work more than 40 hours in a workweek. Any violations of the FLSA in Mississippi should be reported to the US Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.

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What is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)?

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