Minimum Wage The Montana Department of Employment, Division of Labor Standards got an anonymous tip that a small rancher was not paying proper wages to his help. They immediately sent an official agent out to investigate him. GOVT AGENT: I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them. RANCHER: Well, there's my hired hand who's been with me for 3 years. I pay him $350 a week plus free room and board. GOVT AGENT: Well, those payments and conditions are within the law. Anybody else work here? RANCHER: Well, I wasn't going to say. But there's also a mentally challenged guy. He works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work on the ranch. He makes about $10 per week, sometimes less. He pays his own room and board. I do buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night so he can cope with life, but then sometimes he tries to make love to my wife. GOVT AGENT: Okay, yes, then THAT's the guy I heard about, and need to talk to -- the mentally challenged one. RANCHER: That would be me.