25 June 1938
Legislation / laborSupplement
Fair Labor Standards Act creates protections with major coverage gaps
United States
The Fair Labor Standards Act established federal wage and hour protections for covered workers. Agricultural exemptions and the original limits of coverage left many farm and domestic workers outside protections, with unequal consequences for occupations employing many Black workers.
Dates preserve the source’s precision. This entry is part of a selected historical record; its qualifications and sources are retained below.
Context / qualification
Coverage and exemptions changed through later amendments. This entry describes the original law, not every worker’s current rights. Occupational exclusions are distinct from an explicit statute granting benefits only to white people.