The Federal Fair Labor Standards Act establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, record-keeping and child labor standards that affect more than 80 million full- and part-time workers. It requires employers to pay qualified employees no less than $5.15 per hour (as of June 2000). Employers of tipped employees, i.e., employees who customarily and regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips, may consider the tips of these employees as part of their wages. This tip credit may not, however, exceed 50 percent of the required minimum wage.

While not placing a limit on the total hours which may be worked, the Act requires that covered employees, unless otherwise exempt, be paid not less than one and one-half times their regular rates of pay for all hours worked in excess of 40 in a workweek. Employers are required to keep records on wages, hours and other items as set out in the Department of Labor's regulations.

• Tipped Employees
• Most Common Violations
• State, Local and Other Federal Laws
• Enforcement
• Penalties

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