Source: U.S. Department of Labor  

Release: Minimum Wage Rates  

Units:  Dollars per Hour, Not Seasonally Adjusted

Frequency:  Monthly

The federal minimum wage is the minimum hourly wage employers are required to pay employees who are eligible under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938. The FLSA was generally only applicable to employees involved in interstate commerce, either directly or through the creation of goods. Many amendments have since been added to the FLSA, expanding its coverage and raising the minimum wage. Significant amendments occurred in 1961 and in 1966, when a separate minimum wage for farm workers was established. Starting in January of 1978 the minimum wages of all eligible workers, including farm workers, were made uniform. The values in the series for non-farm workers are those for the groups initially covered under the 1938 FLSA. Many states also have minimum wage laws. Some state laws provide greater employee protections; employers must comply with both.

For additional information go to: http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/coverage.htm or http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/chart.htm#fn3

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis  

Release: Personal Income and Outlays  

Units:  Index 2017=100, Seasonally Adjusted

Frequency:  Monthly

BEA Account Code: DPCERG

The Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index is a measure of the prices that people living in the United States, or those buying on their behalf, pay for goods and services. The change in the PCE price index is known for capturing inflation (or deflation) across a wide range of consumer expenses and reflecting changes in consumer behavior. For example, if the price of beef rises, shoppers may buy less beef and more chicken.

The PCE Price Index is produced by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), which revises previously published PCE data to reflect updated information or new methodology, providing consistency across decades of data that's valuable for researchers. They also offer the series as a Chain-Type index, as above. The PCE price index is used primarily for macroeconomic analysis and forecasting.

The PCE Price index is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation. The PCE Price Index is similar to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' consumer price index for urban consumers. The two indexes, which have their own purposes and uses, are constructed differently, resulting in different inflation rates.

For more information on the PCE price index, see:
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Guide to the National Income and Product Accounts of the United States (NIPA)
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Prices & Inflation
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Differences between the Consumer Price Index and the Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index