FLSA-Fair Labor Standards Act
By Logan Johansen
History
The FLSA, also called the Wages and Hours Bill, was introduced in 1938. A senator named Hugo Black drafted it in 1932. He was later appointed to the Supreme Court in 1937 where he revised and introduced it. President FDR said that it was one of the most important part of the New Deal since the Social Security Act in 1935.
What the FLSA Said
The Fair Labor Standards Act put into place an 8 hour work day and a 40 hour work week. It introduced the one and a half times pay for overtime work. This act also regulated children's work. Children under 18 could not work in particularly dangerous jobs and children under the age of 16 could not work during school hours.
Why was It Created?
The FLSA was created to protect workers rights and reduce child labor. Before, children would often work in hazardous jobs including inside or around dangerous machinery or inside of mining shafts where adults could not fit. Children were also easy to manage and most importantly could be payed less. With the FLSA in place, all workers were now payed minimum wage and children couldn't work in dangerous jobs or during school hours. This was important because instead of children working, they could now attend school and receive and education. All workers benefited from the act with the raising of minimum wage, the 8 hour work day and 40 hour work week. Bosses now couldn't keep workers overtime and pay them the same. Now, overtime work is payed 1.5 times more than normal. It affected over 700,000 people and still affects people today.
FLSA Today
The FLSA is still around today. It has been amended many times throughout it's history. Most recently, President Obama supported an amendment in April 2014 that would raise the minimum wage throughout the country to $10.10 over a two year period. Currently, the national minimum wage is $7.25. Other things have also been added to the act since 1938.
FLSA
The FLSA and the New Deal
The New Deal was extremely important to the recovery of America in the Great Depression. Although it started the U.S. National Debt, it is what got Americans through the 30's. It gave people more trust in the federal government, banks, and the Stock Market. The New Deal started to bring America back to it's former self. Without the help and support of President FDR, America could be radically different than the America we live in today.