Final answer:
The Fair Labor Standards Act established the 40-hour workweek in the United States, also setting the minimum wage, limiting child labor, and mandating overtime pay for hourly workers exceeding 40 hours per week.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) established, for the first time, the workweek in the United States as 40 hours per week. This groundbreaking law, enacted in 1938, also sets the minimum wage, places limits on child labor, and requires overtime pay for employees who work more than 40 hours per week in jobs that are paid by the hour. These regulations marked a significant change from previous labor standards and were influenced by the labor movement which, since the late 19th century, pushed for better working conditions, including shorter workweeks. The establishment of the 40-hour workweek was a milestone in labor law, influenced by past Supreme Court decisions such as Lochner v. New York that initially struck down state efforts to regulate labor conditions, and later by shifts in federal policy during the economic struggles of the Great Depression.