Federal law requires that most employees receive a wage of at least $7.25 per hour. Some states have set the minimum at a higher level, and in such states that higher minimum applies. There are some exceptions to the minimum wage, discussed below, but if there is any doubt it is usually assumed that a worker is covered under minimum wage laws.
"Youth Minimum Wage"
Federal law (and some state laws) allow employers to pay a lower minimum wage to employees under twenty years of age. This lower wage rate is sometimes called a "training wage" or "youth minimum wage." Federal law sets this lower minimum at $4.25 perhour, but this lower wage may be paid only for the first 90 days of employment, and an employer may not do anything that displaces one worker who is paid more in order to pay another worker the lower wage.
我现在终于明白房价与法定最低工资互为因果关系（不管政府是因房价升法定最低工资，还是法定最低工资升高了房价？）。而且甚至有这么个公式（？）：房价（New)=（1.5--2.0倍XMini Wage(new)/Mini Wage(old))X房价（old)
（Previous minimum wage rates：http://www.dol.govt.nz/er/pay/minimumwage/previousminimum.asp）