Intro to Federal and Multi-State Labor Laws

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. 

References:

• Federal State Minimum Wage(opens in a new tab)

• Minimum Wage Tracker(opens in a new tab)

The federal minimum salary requirement is $684 per week ($35,568 annually), which applies to many people working salaried white-collar jobs.  This rate applies to the executive, administrative, and professional exemptions. Other exemptions, like the computer science exemption, have different requirements. If state law specifies a higher exempt salary minimum, the state requirement supersedes the federal requirement. 

References: 

• Federal Minimum Exemption Threshold(opens in a new tab)

• Fact Sheet 17A(opens in a new tab)

Federal regulations don’t require employers to provide their employees with meal or rest breaks. Per federal law, offering meal and rest breaks is voluntary absent a binding agreement or contract. If an employer offers an employee a rest break, generally 20 minutes or less, the employee must be paid during the break. Employers aren’t required to pay employees during meal breaks, generally 30 minutes or more. Employers operating in states with meal and rest break regulations, should follow state meal and rest break requirements.

References: Meal & Rest Break Requirements(opens in a new tab)

Under the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, employers must provide employees with reasonable break time for employees to pump breast milk up to one year after giving birth. Employers must provide a reasonably private space, other than a bathroom, for employees to pump. 

References: FLSA Protections to Pump at Work(opens in a new tab)