Kansas Minimum Wage Increase

On July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage increased from &6.55 per hour to $7.25 per hour. For the state of Kansas, it’s a 70 cents increase. Every Kansas employer updated his federal minimum wage poster.

The federal minimum wage is governed by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. FASA covers employers with annual earnings of at least $500,000, and companies who engage in interstate commerce. The majority of Kansas businesses are engaged in interstate commerce. Even if the company doesn’t engage in interstate commerce, an individual employee within the company would be covered by FLSA.

Therefore, most of the employers in Kansas will pay their employee the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour in accordance with FLSA. Kansas employees who are not covered by the federal minimum wage are required to the state of minimum wage of $2.65 per hour.

Employees in the same company maybe are paid a different minimum wage. The difference is whether they deal in any way with clients, customers or suppliers in another state.

For example, a small hair salon with earnings under $500,000 may only serve local customers, but if the receptionist accepts credit card for payment, he or she is engaged in interstate commerce and entitled to the federal minimum. A shampoo girl who does not accept payments will be entitled only to the Kansas minimum.