The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law that sets minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards for employees in the United States. The FLSA’s minimum wage has been $7.25 per hour since July 24, 2009. In 2023, the Biden administration proposed raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025. However, this proposal has not yet been passed by Congress.
Raising the FLSA minimum wage to $15 per hour would have a number of benefits for workers and the economy as a whole. First, it would help to reduce poverty and inequality. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour would lift 1.3 million people out of poverty, including 500,000 children. Second, it would boost economic growth. A study by the Economic Policy Institute found that raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour would increase GDP by $100 billion and create 1.3 million new jobs.
