Fair Labor Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fair Labor Standards - Essay Example This implies that the non-exempt personnel must work for over 40 hours a week to qualify for the overtime pay in which the employer is mandated to offer three quarters times their normal wage rate. It is also apparent that the exempt employees in the white-collar job category cannot benefit from the pay. The proposed changes to the FLSA since 1938 is that it allowed the employment of 16-year-old children in the agricultural sectors, but still prohibited those under that age. This is meant to defend the educational prospects of minors and rule out their employment in jobs deemed hazardous and injurious to their health. These laws differ from the 1938 regulations because it specifies the minimum amount that workers in the private sector, federal or local authorities should receive (Whittaker, 2002). I think these changes benefit both employers and employees because it prevents exploitation of workers by unscrupulous managers who underpay their workers. Similarly, it also benefits the managers since it reduces chances of industrial unrests from workers who feel mistreated or overworked. The controversy associated with these modifications is that the exempt workers feel discriminated against by the legislators and labor officials. For instance, the union’s objections are that the government should treat all workers equally regarding the overtime allowances and the proposed new rates for the working hours since this could deny the workers their established privileges (Whittaker,