FLSA Enacted: Minimum Wage and 40-Hour Week Born
President Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor Standards Act on October 24, 1938, establishing a federal minimum wage of 25 cents per hour and a maximum workweek of 44 hours (reduced to 40 hours by 1940). The law also banned child labor in interstate commerce. But the version that passed Congress was gutted by compromise. Southern Democrats demanded exemptions for agricultural workers, domestic servants, and retail employees, effectively excluding millions of Black and Hispanic workers from protection. The carve-outs were not accidental; they were the price of Southern votes. Farm laborers weren't covered until 1966. Domestic workers waited until 1974. Tipped workers were placed in a sub-minimum wage category in 1966 at $2.13 per hour, where the federal rate remains today, unchanged since 1991.
October 24, 1938
88 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on October 24
Vespasian’s legions crushed the forces of Emperor Vitellius at the Second Battle of Bedriacum, ending the chaotic Year of the Four Emperors. This decisive victo…
Vitellius had held Rome for eight months. His soldiers were drunk and undisciplined. Antonius Primus commanded legions from the Danube—hardened troops who'd bee…
Afonso Henriques took Lisbon back from the Moors with help from 13,000 Crusaders who'd stopped on their way to the Holy Land. The siege lasted four months. The …
The cathedral had burned in 1194. Only the crypt and west facade survived. Rebuilding took 66 years. King Louis IX attended the dedication with his entire court…
Qutuz had stopped the Mongols at Ain Jalut two months earlier, the first time anyone had defeated them in open battle. He was returning to Cairo in triumph. Bai…
Baybars seizes the Egyptian throne after his forces crush the Mongols at Ain Jalut and he assassinates his predecessor, Sultan Qutuz. This victory halts the Mon…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.