Muller v. Oregon

Muller v. Oregon is a landmark case in United States Supreme Court history, as it relates to both sex discrimination and minimum wage laws.

Background

When Muller was decided, in 1908, there was no federal minimum wage law; such an absence permitted then-common practices like 14-year-old boys working in coal mines 12 hours per day, 7 days per week.

The case references Lochner v. New York 198 U.S. 45 1905.  In Lochner, the Court overturned a New York law that made it a criminal offense for bakers to work more than 10 hours per day and/or 60 hours per week, explaining that the benefits of workplace regulation should give way to "freedom of contract" and "economic due process." However, Lochner was eventually overruled by West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish, 300 U.S. 379 1937.

See also:

• List of United State Supreme Court cases
• Lochner v. New York 198 U.S. 45 1905
• Adkins v. Children's Hospital 261 U.S. 525 1923
• West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish, 300 U.S. 379 1937