Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, for any hours that an employee works over 40 during a work week:
A. the employee is paid double.
B. the employee is paid time and a half.
C. the employee is paid two times the regular pay rate.
D. the employee is paid at the regular pay rate.

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employees who work more than 40 hours in a work week are entitled to a specific overtime pay rate. This rate is not double pay, but rather, it’s calculated at “time and a half,” meaning employees earn an additional 50% of their regular pay for any overtime hours worked. So if an employee’s regular pay rate is $20 per hour, their overtime rate would be $30 per hour for each hour worked over 40.

This legislation has played a crucial role in worker rights since it was enacted in 1938, creating a standard for fair pay and ensuring that overtime work is compensated appropriately. It has been pivotal in reducing exploitation and promoting work-life balance, especially during economic booms when longer work hours can lead employers to overextend their employees.