Which U.S. president signed the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, establishing the federal minimum wage?

Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, establishing the federal minimum wage.

The act created a national floor for covered workers’ pay and also introduced federal rules for overtime and child labor. It initially set the minimum wage at 25 cents per hour and limited the standard workweek to 44 hours, with later stages reducing the week to 40 hours.

The law was part of the New Deal and reflected long-running labor demands for better pay, shorter hours, and protection from exploitative child employment. It remains a central federal employment statute, although many workers are covered by additional state laws.

The act is sometimes confused with the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, which protects collective bargaining and union activity. The two laws address different parts of labor policy.