By Betsey Stevenson

In February’s State of the Union address, President Obama provoked conservatives’ ire by proposing an increase in the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $9. Especially in a struggling economy, wouldn’t a minimum-wage boost increase unemployment and hurt small businesses? And would it even help the working poor? Let’s unpack some of the assumptions about the minimum wage that have stuck around since its creation almost eight decades ago. 1. The minimum wage covers everyone. The Fair Labor Standards Act established a minimum wage for the United States in 1938 and criteria that determine who must receive it. A babysitter or the kid who mows your lawn isn’t covered as long as he or she doesn’t work more than eight hours per week or get paid more than $1,700 per year by one employer. Some employers, such as small farms, aren’t required to pay minimum wage. There are minimum-wage exceptions for full-time students and the disabled.

Read more Five myths about the minimum wage – The Washington Post.