The U.S. Fair Labour Standards Act was passed in 1938 to regulate the wages and working standards of factory workers, set a minimum wage and eight hour work day, and overtime. It was initially beneficial to workers, but critics contend it has outlived its usefulness and actually discriminates against lower-income women. This is largely because of the changing family structure and women’s increasing participation in the work force.
The FLSA’s strict overtime regulations limit work arrangements that will accommodate the diverse needs of working women.
Yet most workers, and particularly women workers, favour flexible “comp time” to the rigid overtime requirements of the FLSA (see figure http://www.ncpa.org/ba/ba365/images/ba365fig1.gif).
Suggested reforms include a biweekly work schedule that would allow employees to work 80 hours over a two-week period any combination; flexible credit-hours that would allow any hours worked over 40 in one week to be saved and used toward unpaid leave later; and compensatory time and a half off in lieu of overtime pay.
Source: Denise Venable, Labour Law Discriminates Against Women, Brief Analysis No. 365, August 6, 2001, National Center for Policy Analysis.
For text http://www.ncpa.org/ba/ba365/ba365.html
For more on Workplace Regulations http://www.ncpa.org/pd/regulat/reg-a.html
FMF\14 August 2001
