The Importance Of The FLSA And Your Rights As An Employee

The United States has millions of employees who work hard at a variety of jobs. The Fair Labor Standards Act was enacted in order to protect workers from their employers. Before the act was presented labor workers were often taken advantage of and treated unfairly. After being introduce employees were given more rights and more respect while on the job.

What has the FLSA changed? For starters, the act says that employees are required to receive extra pay if they work overtime. Beforehand, employees were often forced to work overtime without any extra pay whatsoever. Even to this day, some employers refuse to provide overtime pay where it is due. Many employees are simply too afraid to say anything for fear that they’ll be fired. If your employer forces you to work overtime and refuses to pay you, you should consider speaking with an attorney.

Before the FLSA was enacted employers failed to keep a record of how many hours each of their employees worked. When it came time for them to be paid employees had little say in how much money they were owed. The FLSA now requires that all employers keep a detailed record of how much time each employee has clocked over the course of a single pay period.

Limits have also been placed when it comes to child labor. Before the act was created it wasn’t uncommon for young children to labor beside adults in the workforce. During this time, children were taken advantage of, received very little pay, and many were injured because of the dangerous areas they were allowed to frequent. Now, provisions have been put in place that set limits on where and how long children can work. A child’s employment is not allowed to interfere with their educational opportunities, and no child is allowed to work in an environment that’s a danger to their well-being and health.

These are just a few of the changes that have occurred since the FLSA was formed decades ago. As you can see, the act works extensively to protect the millions of workers in this country. If you feel your rights as an employee have been violated, consider speaking with an attorney at The Law Offices of Filteau & Sullivan immediately.