The FLSA sets US federal minimum wage ($7.25/hr), requires time-and-a-half overtime pay for hours over 40 per week, and prohibits oppressive child labour. Many states have higher minimums. Violations can be reported to the DOL Wage and Hour Division.
The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.) is administered by the Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division. Key provisions: **Minimum Wage**: Federal minimum is $7.25/hour; many states and cities have higher rates. The applicable minimum is the highest of federal, state, or local rates. **Overtime**: Non-exempt employees must receive at least 1.5× their regular pay rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. **Exemptions**: Certain 'white collar' employees (executive, administrative, professional) earning above a salary threshold are exempt from overtime. Misclassification of non-exempt workers as exempt is a common violation. **Child Labour**: Children under 14 generally cannot work; those 14–15 are limited in hours and job types; those 16–17 cannot do hazardous work. To file a wage complaint: contact the DOL Wage and Hour Division (1-866-487-9243 or dol.gov/agencies/whd) or file a private lawsuit. You can recover unpaid wages, an equal amount as 'liquidated damages,' and attorney's fees. The limitations period is 2 years (or 3 for willful violations).
A delivery worker is classified by his employer as an 'independent contractor' and paid per delivery with no overtime. An FLSA analysis finds he is actually an employee who has worked 55-hour weeks. He can recover 1.5× his regular rate for 15 hours per week, going back 3 years, as a willful violation.
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