U.S. Employment Regulations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 18

U.S. Employment Regulations - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) implements the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Act provides policies for minimum wages, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor. It gives exemptions for minimum wage and overtime pay. The Act obliges employers of covered employees to pay them a minimum wage of not less than $7.25 per hour. Youth employees, who are below 20 years of age, may receive a minimum wage of not lower than $4.25 an hour, during the first 90 successive calendar days of employment. Employers are not allowed to terminate existing employees to hire youth or people whom they can pay the youth minimum wage. Furthermore, employers can adopt a piece-rate basis in paying employees, as long as the latter get at least the required minimum hourly wage rate and overtime for hours worked that are more than 40 hours in a workweek. In addition, the Act allows the employment of particular individuals at wage rates below the statutory minimum wage, as long as they get certificates from the Department of Labor. They are the following: â€Å"Student learners; full‑time students in service establishments, agriculture, or higher education; and individuals whose productive capacities for the work to be performed are impaired by physical or mental disabilities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The Act does not provide limitations for hours or days per week of work, as long as the employee is not less than sixteen years old. Nevertheless, the Act obliges employers to compensate covered employees for overtime pay, which is not less than one and one-half times their standard rate of pay, for all hours that exceed 40 in a workweek, unless employees are considered as exempted.