The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is the federal statute that sets forth many of the federal employment laws in the United States. These laws are enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The FLSA, however, does not say anything different than California law when it comes to severance payments. The statute does not mandate employers to provide severance payments and packages. Just like California law, the statute restricts certain rights that you may waive when entering into a severance agreement.