Disclaimer
The FLSA does cover:
Minimum wage and overtime - federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour (the Texas minimum wage law prescribes the same minimum wage) - overtime is generally at time-and-a-half for all hours worked in excess of 40 in a seven-day workweek. Individual state minimum wage laws do not apply unless the FLSA does not apply - for all practical purposes, businesses can assume that all of their employees are covered under the federal wage and hour laws.
Equal pay for men and women - - Equal Pay Act - men and women who perform the same job at the same levels of skill, experience, and responsibility must be paid the same - this is not the same as "equal pay for comparable work", a rule followed by only a handful of individual states - violation of this law raises a gender discrimination issue, which is why complaints are investigated by the EEOC.
Child labor - in most situations, children younger than 14 may not work for an employer. Children ages 14 and 15 may work, but only in non-hazardous occupations and only during non-school hours; there is also a substantial limitation on the number of hours they can work each day and week. Children ages 16 and 17 may work any hours they want, but may not work in hazardous occupations. Once a person reaches age 18, there is no limitation on either hours or duties (other than whatever OSHA rules may apply).
The FLSA does not require:
Optional employee benefits and payroll practices not required under any law - this category includes such things as:
breaks - although some states require breaks, most do not - federal law has no break requirement - the only exceptions are found in OSHA regulations relating to highly hazardous occupations such as high-altitude steel erection workers or nuclear plant workers - most companies do allow some sort of breaks, however
"coffee breaks" (rest breaks) are paid, since they are regarded as promoting productivity and efficiency on the part of employees and thus benefit the employer - 20 minutes or less in duration
"lunch breaks" are unpaid - defined as 30 minutes or longer for the purpose of eating a meal - employee must be "fully relieved of duties" during the meal break – if the employee is answering phones, filing, or otherwise working while eating, the "break" is counted as regular work time
premium, holiday, and weekend pay - this is extra pay for unusual hours, such as "double time" or "triple time" pay for working extra overtime or during times when most employees take off - this is not required under any law, but is often a matter of supply and demand, i.e., whatever is necessary to get employees to be available at unusual times
shift differentials - defined as higher hourly pay for second or third shifts, as opposed to the normal hourly rate given to workers on the daytime shift - as with "premium pay" above, this is a function of supply and demand
raises - not required under state or federal laws, unless the minimum wage is increased on either the federal or the state level. However, even though raises are not required, withdrawing a raise that has previously been promised could give an employee good cause to quit. Important: once a raise goes into effect, the employer must pay it until it is withdrawn - it may be withdrawn only prospectively, never retroactively - a retroactive pay cut will always violate the law.
pensions - pension or retirement plans are not required - however, keep the "1000-hour rule" in mind in case you have a pension plan and any workers who work at least 1000 hours in a 12-month period