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Wages

The Department of Labor enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets basic minimum wage and overtime pay standards. These standards are enforced by the Department's Wage and Hour Division.

Minimum Wage

Fair Labor Standards Act

While the FLSA does set the minimum wage for certain workers, it does not, however, require any of the following:

The FLSA does not address nonproduction cash bonuses, payments that are not production-based. These bonuses are generally a matter of agreement between an employer and an employee (or the employee's representative).

Benefits such as educational assistance, life insurance, or travel accident insurance are generally a matter of agreement between an employer and an employee (or the employee's representative).

In addition to the FLSA, the Wage and Hour Division enforces other labor laws related to wage payment. Among these are:

  • the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, which require payment of prevailing wage rates and fringe benefits on federally-financed or assisted construction;

  • the Service Contract Act, which requires payment of prevailing wage rates and fringe benefits on contracts to provide services to the federal government;

  • the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, which sets overtime standards for most federal service contracts, federally funded construction contracts, and federal supply contracts over $100,000; and

  • the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act, which requires payment of minimum wage rates and overtime pay on federal contracts to manufacture or provide goods to the federal government.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for certain medical and family situations (e.g., adoption) for either the employee or a member of the covered and eligible employee's immediate family; however, in many instances paid leave may be substituted for unpaid FMLA leave. A final rule effective on January 16, 2009, updates the FMLA regulations to implement new military family leave entitlements enacted under the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2008.

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1990 applies to employers seeking to hire nonimmigrant aliens as workers in specialty occupations under H-1B visas.

Choose from the Wages subtopics list to narrow your browsing. Also, see the Office of Compliance Assistance Policy's Web pages on wages and hours worked.