Fair Labor Standards - Essay Example

Fair Labor Standards Act The salient feature of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is that it prescribed the lowest wage rate and overtime allowances to all workers. Another feature is that the Act prohibited child employment and identified the aspects affecting employees in the private sector, centralized, state and local governments (Whittaker, 2002).According to the FLSA, non-exempt workers are allowed to receive overtime allowances while the exempt ones do not enjoy the privilege. The criteria that differentiate an exempt and non-exempt employee are the number of hours worked, amount of overtime allowance paid and job group of the exempt staffs (Whittaker, 2002).

This implies that the non-exempt personnel must work for over 40 hours a week to qualify for the overtime pay in which the employer is mandated to offer three quarters times their normal wage rate. It is also apparent that the exempt employees in the white-collar job category cannot benefit from the pay. The proposed changes to the FLSA since 1938 is that it allowed the employment of 16-year-old children in the agricultural sectors, but still prohibited those under that age. This is meant to defend the educational prospects of minors and rule out their employment in jobs deemed hazardous and injurious to their health.

These laws differ from the 1938 regulations because it specifies the minimum amount that workers in the private sector, federal or local authorities should receive (Whittaker, 2002).I think these changes benefit both employers and employees because it prevents exploitation of workers by unscrupulous managers who underpay their workers. Similarly, it also benefits the managers since it reduces chances of industrial unrests from workers who feel mistreated or overworked. The controversy associated with these modifications is that the exempt workers feel discriminated against by the legislators and labor officials.

For instance, the union’s objections are that the government should treat all workers equally regarding the overtime allowances and the proposed new rates for the working hours since this could deny the workers their established privileges (Whittaker, 2002).ReferenceWhittaker, W. G. (2002). The Fair Labor Standards Act. New York: Novinka Books.