The federal minimum wage for covered nonexempt employees is $7.25 per hour.
Many states also have minimum wage laws. In cases where an employee is subject to both the state and federal minimum wage laws, the employee is entitled to the higher of the two minimum wages.
The federal minimum wage provisions are contained in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA does not provide wage payment or collection procedures for an employee's usual or promised wages or commissions in excess of those required by the FLSA. However, some states do have laws under which such claims (sometimes including fringe benefits) may be filed.
The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division administers and enforces the federal minimum wage law.
Webpages on this Topic
State Minimum Wage Laws
A clickable map that tells you what the minimum wage laws are in each state.
Compliance Assistance: Minimum Wage
Questions and Answers About the Minimum Wage
Answers to questions ranging from "How often does the minimum wage increase?" to "Who ensures that workers are paid at least the minimum wage?"
What is the Minimum Wage?
Additional information about the minimum wage.
What is the Minimum Wage for Workers Who Receive Tips?
Additional information about the minimum wage.
Must Young Workers Be Paid the Minimum Wage?
Additional information about the minimum wage.
Information on the Youth Minimum Wage Program
A minimum wage of not less than $4.25 may be paid to employees under age 20 for their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment, as long as their employment does not displace other workers.
Fact Sheet on Hours Worked Under the Fair Labor Standards Act
Provides general information concerning what constitutes compensable time under the FLSA.
Coverage Under the Fair Labor Standards Act Fact Sheet
General information about who is covered by the FLSA.
Equal Pay Act of 1963 (Public Law 88-38)
Equal pay provisions prohibit sex-based wage differentials between men and women employed in the same establishment who perform jobs requiring equal effort, skill, and responsibility. These provisions are enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Laws on this Topic
29 USC Chapter 8, Section 206 – Minimum Wage Statutes
