Key Terms and Definitions
Minimum Wage: The minimum wage that must be paid to all Legislative Branch employees is the current Federal minimum wage.
Restrictions on Child Labor: The FLSA and Office of Compliance Regulations provide that employees 18 years or older can perform any job for unlimited hours. Individuals younger than 18 may face certain restrictions on their work, such as restrictions on working in certain hazardous jobs and limits on the total number of hours that may be worked.
Sex Discrimination in Wages: The CAA applies the Equal Pay Act provisions of the FLSA, which prohibit discrimination between men and women in their wages on the basis of sex. In general, the law requires that individuals with similar qualifications who perform similar work must be paid the same wage, regardless of their sex.
Overtime Compensation: Pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek at a rate not less than one-and-one-half times an employee’s regular rate of pay.
Exempt Employees: Employees who are not required to be paid overtime under the FLSA. Specific criteria defined in the FLSA and Office of Compliance Regulations determine who may be considered an exempt employee.
Partial Exemption for Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Employees: Overtime must be paid only after hours worked pass a certain threshold. In some cases, compensatory time off may be provided rather than overtime pay.
Work Schedule that Directly Depends on the Schedule of the House or Senate: Work that directly supports the conduct of business in the chamber and work hours that regularly change in response to the schedule of the House and the Senate.
Three Additional Methods of Compensation for Irregular Work Schedules: Office of Compliance Regulations permit three additional methods for compensating employees with irregular work schedules: time-off plan for the same pay period; fixed salary for fluctuating hours; and “belo” contracts.
Intern: An individual performing services in an office as a part of an educational plan whose temporary work will not exceed a total of 12 months. Office of Compliance Regulations for the Senate also provide for senior citizen interns. The definition of intern does not include volunteers, fellows, or pages.
