Federal Minimum Hourly Wage for Nonfarm Workers for the United States

The federal minimum wage is the minimum hourly wage employers are required to pay employees who are eligible under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938. The FLSA was generally only applicable to employees involved in interstate commerce, either directly or through the creation of goods. Many amendments have since been added to the FLSA, expanding its coverage and raising the minimum wage. Significant amendments occurred in 1961 and in 1966, when a separate minimum wage for farm workers was established. Starting in January of 1978 the minimum wages of all eligible workers, including farm workers, were made uniform. The values in the series for non-farm workers are those for the groups initially covered under the 1938 FLSA. Many states also have minimum wage laws. Some state laws provide greater employee protections; employers must comply with both. For additional information go to: http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/coverage.htm or http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/chart.htm#fn3