Overview
The federal minimum wage provisions are contained in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. Many states also have minimum wage laws. Some state laws provide greater employee protections; employers must comply with both.
The FLSA does not provide wage payment collection procedures for an employee’s usual or promised wages or commissions in excess of those required by the FLSA. However, some states do have laws under which such claims (sometimes including fringe benefits) may be filed.
History
General Guidance
- Employment Law Guide — Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay
- Questions and Answers about the Minimum Wage
- Minimum Wage Laws in the States
- Wage Rates in American Samoa
- FLSA Handy Reference Guide
- Information on Raising the Minimum Wage
Fact Sheets
- Coverage under the FLSA
- Hours worked under the FLSA
- Youth Minimum Wage
- Recordkeeping under the FLSA
- Visits to Employers
- Additional Fact Sheets
E-tools
Posters
- FLSA Minimum Wage Poster
- Spanish Version
- Chinese Version (PDF)
- Russian Version (PDF)
- Thai Version (PDF)
- Hmong Version (PDF)
- Vietnamese Version (PDF)
- Korean Version (PDF)
- Polish Version (PDF)
- Haitian Creole Version (PDF)
Interpretive Guidance
- Administrator Interpretations, Opinion and Ruling Letters
- Field Operation Handbook Chapters
- Chapter 10 — FLSA Coverage - Employment Relationship, Statutory Exclusions, Geographical Limits (PDF)
- Chapter 11 — Individual Coverage - FLSA (PDF)
- Chapter 12 — Enterprise Coverage - FLSA (PDF)
- Chapter 21 — Retail or Service Establishment Exemptions (PDF)
- Chapter 23 — Newspaper and Other Communication Exemptions (PDF)
- Chapter 25 — Other Exemptions (PDF)
- Chapter 30 — Records, Minimum Wage, and Payment of Wages (PDF)
- Chapter 31 — Hours Worked (PDF)
Applicable Laws and Regulations
- Law
- Regulations