Adkins v. Children's Hospital is a landmark Supreme Court case that has had a lasting impact on labor laws in the United States. The case began in 1921 when the Children's Hospital of the District of Columbia refused to pay its female employees the minimum wage set by the District of Columbia Minimum Wage Act. The hospital argued that the act violated their right to freely contract with their employees, as protected by the Fifth Amendment. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where the justices ruled in favor of the hospital. The court held that the minimum wage act violated the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment, which protects the right to freely contract. This ruling meant that employers were free to pay their employees whatever wages they saw fit, regardless of any laws or regulations. The decision in Adkins had a major impact on labor laws in the United States. The decision made it difficult for workers to organize and bargain collectively for better wages, as employers were free to pay whatever wages they saw fit. This decision also made it difficult for states and the federal government to pass laws that would protect workers from unfair wages and working conditions. The decision in Adkins was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court in West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish. In this case, the court held that the minimum wage act was a valid exercise of the state's police power. This ruling allowed states and the federal government to regulate wages and working conditions, including setting minimum wages. Despite being overturned, Adkins v. Children's Hospital remains an important case in the history of labor law in the United States. The decision set the stage for future labor laws and helped to protect workers from unfair wages and working conditions. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of the right to freely contract and the power of the Supreme Court to protect that right.