Progressive Movement Practice Exam 2026 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

The Fair Labor Standards Act is the legislation that aimed to improve working conditions and labor rights during the Progressive Era. This act, enacted in 1938, established crucial protections for workers, including setting a minimum wage, requiring overtime pay for certain jobs, and regulating child labor.

During the Progressive Era, the push for workers' rights was a significant aspect of social reform, as labor conditions were often dire, with long hours, unsafe environments, and inadequate pay. The Fair Labor Standards Act addressed many of these issues, laying the groundwork for better labor standards and protections that benefitted numerous workers across various industries.

While other acts, like the Taft-Hartley Act, the Wagner Act, and the National Labor Relations Act, contributed to labor rights in different ways, the Fair Labor Standards Act specifically targeted crucial issues related to wages, working hours, and child labor, making it a vital piece of legislation during the later years of the Progressive Movement and beyond.