The wages of workers are a primary determinant of a worker's standard of living. There has been a long history of governmental action attempting to construct a fair and equitable method of ensuring a living wage to the worker. This book traces the historical developmental process, examining the theory behind minimum wage programs and the first 50 years of the operation of the American Fair Labor Standards Act. Here are gathered key data and information that explain the effects of the FLSA on the worker and the employer.