When Did Minimum Wage Start?

Overview. The national minimum wage was created by Congress under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in 1938. Congress enacted this legislation under its authority in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution: β€œThe Congress shall have power to . . . regulate commerce . . .

What was the very first minimum wage?

The Fair Labor and Standards Act ended child labor, set a 44-hour workweek and began the nation's first federal minimum wage at 25 cents an hour.

What was the original purpose of the minimum wage?

The purpose of the minimum wage was to stabilize the post-depression economy and protect the workers in the labor force. The minimum wage was designed to create a minimum standard of living to protect the health and well-being of employees.

Marcus Vance

Marcus Vance

Cybersecurity & Digital Privacy Researcher

Marcus Vance is a cybersecurity auditor and technology writer dedicated to educating the public about online safety, data privacy regulations, enterprise security, and emerging cyber threats.