| The main purpose of the enactment of the Fair Labor | | | | week for one or more employers: |
| Standards Act (FLSA) is to provide the employers and | | | | 1. Day Workers, |
| the employees the minimum guidelines and | | | | 2. Domestic Service Workers or Housekeepers; |
| requirements on wages and salaries. | | | | 3. Chauffeurs; |
| The FLSA requires employers to pay their employees | | | | 4. Cooks; and |
| covered by the Act a wage of at least $5.85 per hour | | | | 5. Full time Babysitters. |
| (effective July 24, 2007); at least $6.55 per hour | | | | The FLSA provides certain exceptions to the minimum |
| (effective July 24, 2008); and at least $7.25 per hour | | | | wage rule, as in the cases of: |
| (effective July 24, 2009). | | | | 1. Student Learners, On-the-job Trainees, Vocational |
| Also, the Act requires the employers to pay their | | | | Education Students; |
| employees below 20 years old a minimum wage of | | | | 2. Full time students employed in:a. Retail or Service |
| $4.25 per hour during the first 90 employment days. | | | | Firms,b. Agriculture; orc. Educational Institutions; and |
| Employees may be paid on a piece-rate basis by their | | | | 3. Employees with disabilities, whether physical or |
| employers provided they receive the equivalent of the | | | | mental, as long as their disabilities affect their earning |
| minimum hourly wage rate prescribed by law. | | | | capabilities. |
| What's more, Tipped employees or those who usually | | | | Various remedies are being used by the Department |
| receive a monthly tip of $30 may consider such tips | | | | of Labor to enforce compliance with the FSLA. Listed |
| as part of their wages, on the condition that their | | | | below are the penalties and probations prescribed by |
| employers pay them a minimum direct wage of $2.13 | | | | law for offenders: |
| per hour. | | | | 1. For first offenders, the Wage and Hour Division |
| On the contrary, FSLA does not cover the following | | | | investigators usually order the employers to change |
| institutions regardless of their dollar volume: | | | | their employment practices. They will also order them |
| 1. Hospitals; | | | | to pay their employees back wages. |
| 2. Care Institutions for the Sick, Aged, Mentally Ill, or | | | | 2. A willful violator shall be given a fine of not more |
| Disabled; | | | | than $10,000. |
| 3. Special Schools for Disabled Children; | | | | 3. An offender who has been subject to a second |
| 4. Preschools, Elementary, Secondary, and Tertiary | | | | conviction shall be tried and imprisoned. |
| Schools; and | | | | 4. Frequent violators shall be ordered to pay an |
| 5. Federal, State, and Local Government Agencies. | | | | additional fine of not more than $1,000 per violation. |
| The Act also protects the following workers provided | | | | The Department of Labor may also file a lawsuit |
| they receive a minimum yearly cash wage of $1,500 | | | | against employers for employees |
| or provided they work for not less than 8 hours per | | | | |