Chapter 7

Americans at Work

Labor

Text 1

Minimum wage

If you take a job in the USA, you are guarantied a minimum wage. That means that they have to pay you at least the given sum per hour. This process is not automatic. It starts with Congress passing a bill. Then the President signs it. After that the minimum wage can go up. In September 1997 this wage was $ 5.15 per hour.

The Department of Labor is responsible for making sure that people really are paid this wage. Labor offices all over the country handle questions about wages. People can call in and check that they get the right amount of money for their work.

This law of a minimum wage is for all workers in companies that make more than $ 500,000 a year. Working for a small company you are not enjoying this advantage. However, it does include people working for the country, the state and the local government.

Age limit

To get a job you have to be at least 16 years old. In some cases you have to be 18 if the job includes certain dangers. The Secretary of Labor decides which jobs are considered dangerous.

Time limit

Teenagers at the age of 14 and 15 can work outside school hours. These jobs may not include production of things, mining, or any dangerous situations. On a school day they are not allowed to work more than 3 hours. They are not allowed to work more than 18 hours in a week if they go to school that same week. On a non-school day they can work 8 hours and in a school free week up to 40 hours. They cannot start before 7 a.m. or end after 7 p.m.

Government control

The Department of Labor keeps an eye on the labor market. If companies break the law, the Department can take them to court. Then they are fined up to $10,000 for employing children against the law and $1,000 for paying less than the minimum wage.