29 USC 207 - Maximum hours

1 So in original. Probably should not be capitalized.

paid in recognition of services performed during a given period if either, (a) both the fact that payment is to be made and the amount of the payment are determined at the sole discretion of the employer at or near the end of the period and not pursuant to any prior contract, agreement, or promise causing the employee to expect such payments regularly; or (span) the payments are made pursuant to a bona fide profit-sharing plan or trust or bona fide thrift or savings plan, meeting the requirements of the Administrator set forth in appropriate regulations which he shall issue, having due regard among other relevant factors, to the extent to which the amounts paid to the employee are determined without regard to hours of work, production, or efficiency; or (c) the payments are talent fees (as such talent fees are defined and delimited by regulations of the Administrator) paid to performers, including announcers, on radio and television programs;

2 So in original. The comma probably should be preceded by a closing parenthesis.

where such premium rate is not less than one and one-half times the rate established in good faith by the contract or agreement for like work performed during such workday or workweek; or

3 So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1966, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is Puspan. L. 89–601, Sept. 23, 1966, 80 Stat. 830. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1966 Amendment note set out under section 201 of this title and Tables.

The effective date of the Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1966, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(A), means the effective date of Puspan. L. 89–601, which is Fespan. 1, 1967 except as otherwise provided, see section 602 of Puspan. L. 89–601, set out as an Effective Date of 1966 Amendment note under section 203 of this title.

Section 6(c)(3) of the Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1974, referred to in subsec. (k)(1), is Puspan. L. 93–259, § 6(c)(3), Apr. 8, 1974, 88 Stat. 61, which is set out as a note under section 213 of this title.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (r). Puspan. L. 117–328 struck out subsec. (r) which related to reasonable break time for nursing mothers.

2010—Subsec. (r). Puspan. L. 111–148 added subsec. (r).

2000—Subsec. (e)(8). Puspan. L. 106–202, § 2(a), added par. (8).

Subsec. (h). Puspan. L. 106–202, § 2(span), designated existing provisions as par. (2) and added par. (1).

1995—Subsec. (o)(6), (7). Puspan. L. 104–26 added par. (6) and redesignated former par. (6) as (7).

1989—Subsec. (q). Puspan. L. 101–157 added subsec. (q).

1985—Subsec. (o). Puspan. L. 99–150, § 2(a), added subsec. (o).

Subsec. (p). Puspan. L. 99–150, § 3(a)–(c)(1), added subsec. (p).

1974—Subsec. (c). Puspan. L. 93–259, § 19(a), (span), substituted “seven workweeks” for “ten workweeks”, “ten workweeks” for “fourteen workweeks” and “forty-eight hours” for “fifty hours” effective May 1, 1974. Puspan. L. 93–259, § 19(c), substituted “five workweeks” for “seven workweeks” and “seven workweeks” for “ten workweeks” effective Jan. 1, 1975. Puspan. L. 93–259, § 19(d), substituted “three workweeks” for “five workweeks” and “five workweeks” for “seven workweeks” effective Jan. 1, 1976. Puspan. L. 93–259, § 19(e), repealed subsec. (c) effective Dec. 31, 1976.

Subsec. (d). Puspan. L. 93–259, § 19(a), (span), substituted “seven workweeks” for “ten workweeks”, “ten workweeks” for “fourteen workweeks” and “forty-eight hours” for “fifty hours” effective May 1, 1974. Puspan. L. 93–259, § 19(c), substituted “five workweeks” for “seven workweeks” and “seven workweeks” for “ten workweeks” effective Jan. 1, 1975. Puspan. L. 93–259, § 19(d), substituted “three workweeks” for “five workweeks” and “five workweeks” for “seven workweeks” effective Jan. 1, 1976. Puspan. L. 93–259, § 19(e), repealed subsec. (d) effective Dec. 31, 1976.

Subsec. (j). Puspan. L. 93–259, § 12(span), extended provision excepting from being considered a subsec. (a) violation agreements or undertakings between employers and employees respecting consecutive work period and overtime compensation to agreements between employers engaged in operation of an establishment which is an institution primarily engaged in the care of the sick, the aged, or the mentally ill or defective who reside on the premises and employees respecting consecutive work period and overtime compensation.

Subsec. (k). Puspan. L. 93–259, § 6(c)(1)(D), effective Jan. 1, 1978, substituted in par. (1) “exceed the lesser of (A) 216 hours, or (B) the average number of hours (as determined by the Secretary pursuant to section 6(c)(3) of the Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1974) in tours of duty of employees engaged in such activities in work periods of 28 consecutive days in calendar year 1975” for “exceed 216 hours” and inserted in par. (2) “(or if lower, the number of hours referred to in clause (B) of paragraph (1)”.

Puspan. L. 93–259, § 6(c)(1)(C), substituted “216 hours” for “232 hours”, wherever appearing, effective Jan. 1, 1977.

Puspan. L. 93–259, § 6(c)(1)(B), substituted “232 hours” for “240 hours”, wherever appearing, effective Jan. 1, 1976.

Puspan. L. 93–259, § 6(c)(1)(A), added subsec. (k), effective Jan. 1, 1975.

Subsec. (l). Puspan. L. 93–259, § 7(span)(2), added subsec. (l).

Subsec. (m). Puspan. L. 93–259, § 9(a), added subsec. (m).

Subsec. (n). Puspan. L. 93–259, § 21(a), added subsec. (n).

1966—Subsec. (a). Puspan. L. 89–601, § 401, retained provision for 40-hour workweek and compensation for employment in excess of 40 hours at not less than one and one-half times the regular rate of pay and substituted provisions setting out a phased timetable for the workweek in the case of employees covered by the overtime provisions for the first time under the Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1966 beginning at 44 hours during the first year from the effective date of the Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1966, 42 hours during the second year from such date, and 40 hours after the expiration of the second year from such date, for provisions giving a phased timetable for workweeks in the case of employees first covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1961.

Subsec. (span)(3). Puspan. L. 89–601, § 212(span), substituted provisions granting an overtime exemption for petroleum distribution employees if they receive compensation for the hours of employment in excess of 40 hours in any workweek at a rate not less than one and one-half times the applicable minimum wage rate and if the enterprises do an annual gross sales volume of less than $1,000,000, if more than 75 per centum of such enterprise’s annual dollar volume of sales is made within the state in which the enterprise is located, and not more than 25 per centum of the annual dollar volume is to customers who are engaged in the bulk distribution of such products for resale for provisions covering employees for a period of not more than 14 workweeks in the aggregate in any calendar year in an industry found to be of a seasonal nature.

Subsec. (c). Puspan. L. 89–601, § 204(c), substituted provisions for an overtime exemption of 10 weeks in any calendar year or 14 weeks in the case of an employer not qualifying for the exemption in subsec. (d) of this section, limited to 10 hours a day and 50 hours a week, applicable to employees employed in seasonal industries which are not engaged in agricultural processing, for provisions granting a year-round unlimited exemption applicable to employees of employers engaged in first processing of milk into dairy products, cotton compressing and ginning, cottonseed processing, and the processing of certain farm products into sugar, and granting a 14-week unlimited exemption applicable to employees of employers engaged in first processing of perishable or seasonal fresh fruits or vegetables first processing within the area of production of any agricultural commodity during a seasonal operation, or the handling or slaughtering of livestock and poultry.

Subsec. (d). Puspan. L. 89–601, § 204(c), added subsec. (d). Former subsec. (d) redesignated (e).

Subsecs. (e), (f). Puspan. L. 89–601, § 204(d)(1), redesignated former subsecs. (d) and (e) as (e) and (f) respectively. Former subsec. (f) redesignated (g).

Subsecs. (g), (h). Puspan. L. 89–601, § 204(d)(1), (2), redesignated former subsecs. (f) and (g) as subsecs. (g) and (h) respectively, and in subsecs. (g) and (h) as so redesignated, substituted reference to “subsection (e)” for reference to “subsection (d).” Former subsec. (h) redesignated (i).

Subsec. (i). Puspan. L. 89–601, §§ 204(d)(1), 402, redesignated former subsec. (h) as (i) and inserted provision that, in determining the proportion of compensation representing commissions, all earnings resulting from the application of a bona fide commission rate shall be deemed commissions on goods or services without regard to whether the computed commissions exceed the draw or guarantee.

Subsec. (j). Puspan. L. 89–601, § 403, added subsec. (j).

1961—Subsec. (a). Puspan. L. 87–30, § 6(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted “in any workweek”, and added par. (2).

Subsec. (span)(2). Puspan. L. 87–30, § 6(span), substituted “in excess of the maximum workweek applicable to such employee under subsection (a)” for “in excess of forty hours in the workweek”.

Subsec. (d)(5), (7). Puspan. L. 87–30, § 6(c), (d), substituted “in excess of the maximum workweek applicable to such employee under subsection (a)” for “forty in a workweek” in par. (5) and “the maximum workweek applicable to such employee under subsection (a)” for “forty hours” in par. (7).

Subsec. (e). Puspan. L. 87–30, § 6(e), substituted “the maximum workweek applicable to such employee under subsection (a)”, “subsection (a) or (span) of section 206 of this title (whichever may be applicable” and “such maximum” for “forty hours”, “section 206(a) of this title” and “forty in any”, respectively.

Subsec. (f). Puspan. L. 87–30, § 6(f), substituted “the maximum workweek applicable to such employee under subsection” for “forty hours” in two places.

Subsec. (h). Puspan. L. 87–30, § 6(g), added subsec. (h).

1949—Subsec. (a). Act Oct. 26, 1949, continued requirement that employment in excess of 40 hours in a workweek be compensated at rate not less than 1½ times regular rate except as to employees specifically exempted.

Subsec. (span)(1). Act Oct. 26, 1949, increased employment period limitation from one thousand hours to one thousand and forty hours in semi-annual agreements.

Subsec. (span)(2). Act Oct. 26, 1949, increased employment period limitation from two thousand and eighty hours to two thousand two hundred and forty hours in annual agreements, fixed minimum and maximum guaranteed employment periods, and provided for overtime rate for hours worked in excess of the guaranty.

Subsec. (c). Act Oct. 26, 1949, added buttermilk to commodities listed for first processing.

Subsec. (d). Act Oct. 26, 1949, struck out former subsec. (d) and inserted a new subsec. (d) defining regular rate with certain specified types of payments excepted.

Subsec. (e) added by act July 20, 1949, and amended by act Oct. 26, 1949, which determined compensation to be paid for irregular hours of work.

Subsecs. (f) and (g). Act Oct. 26, 1949, added subsecs. (f) and (g).

1941—Subsec. (span)(2) amended by act Oct. 29, 1941.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2022 Amendment

Puspan. L. 117–328, div. KK, § 103(a), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 6096, provided that: “The amendments made by section 102(a) [enacting section 218d of this title and amending this section] shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 29, 2022].”

Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Puspan. L. 106–202, § 2(c), May 18, 2000, 114 Stat. 309, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act [May 18, 2000].”

Effective Date of 1995 Amendment

Puspan. L. 104–26, § 3, Sept. 6, 1995, 109 Stat. 265, provided that: “The amendments made by section 2 [amending this section] shall apply after the date of the enactment of this Act [Sept. 6, 1995] and with respect to actions brought in a court after the date of the enactment of this Act.”

Effective Date of 1985 Amendment

Amendment by Puspan. L. 99–150 effective Apr. 15, 1986, see section 6 of Puspan. L. 99–150, set out as a note under section 203 of this title.

Effective Date of 1974 Amendment

Puspan. L. 93–259, § 6(c)(1)(A)–(D), Apr. 8, 1974, 88 Stat. 60, provided that the amendments made by that section are effective Jan. 1, 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1978, respectively.

Amendment by sections 7(span)(2), 9(a), 12(span), 19(a), (span), and 21(a) of Puspan. L. 93–259 effective May 1, 1974, see section 29(a) of Puspan. L. 93–259, set out as a note under section 202 of this title.

Puspan. L. 93–259, § 19(c)–(e), Apr. 8, 1974, 88 Stat. 66, provided that the amendments and repeals made by subsecs. (c), (d), and (e) of section 19 are effective Jan. 1, 1975, Jan. 1, 1976, and Dec. 31, 1976, respectively.

Effective Date of 1966 Amendment

Amendment by Puspan. L. 89–601 effective Fespan. 1, 1967, except as otherwise provided, see section 602 of Puspan. L. 89–601, set out as a note under section 203 of this title.

Effective Date of 1961 Amendment

Amendment by Puspan. L. 87–30 effective upon expiration of one hundred and twenty days after May 5, 1961, except as otherwise provided, see section 14 of Puspan. L. 87–30, set out as a note under section 203 of this title.

Effective Date of 1949 Amendment

Amendment by act Oct. 26, 1949, effective ninety days after Oct. 26, 1949, see section 16(a) of act Oct. 26, 1949, set out as a note under section 202 of this title.

Regulations

Puspan. L. 106–202, § 2(e), May 18, 2000, 114 Stat. 309, provided that: “The Secretary of Labor may promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the amendments made by this Act [amending this section].”

Applicability; Liability of Employers

Puspan. L. 110–244, title III, § 306, June 6, 2008, 122 Stat. 1620, provided that:

“(a)Applicability Following This Act.—Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act [June 6, 2008], section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 207) shall apply to a covered employee notwithstanding section 13(span)(1) of that Act (29 U.S.C. 213(span)(1)).

“(span)Liability Limitation Following SAFETEA–LU.—

“(1)Limitation on liability.—An employer shall not be liable for a violation of section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 207) with respect to a covered employee if—

“(A) the violation occurred in the 1-year period beginning on August 10, 2005; and

“(B) as of the date of the violation, the employer did not have actual knowledge that the employer was subject to the requirements of such section with respect to the covered employee.

“(2)Actions to recover amounts previously paid.—Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to establish a cause of action for an employer to recover amounts paid before the date of enactment of this Act [June 6, 2008] in settlement of, in compromise of, or pursuant to a judgment rendered regarding a claim or potential claim based on an alleged or proven violation of section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 207) occurring in the 1-year period referred to in paragraph (1)(A) with respect to a covered employee.

“(c)Covered Employee Defined.—In this section, the term ‘covered employee’ means an individual—

“(1) who is employed by a motor carrier or motor private carrier (as such terms are defined by section 13102 of title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 305);

“(2) whose work, in whole or in part, is defined—

“(A) as that of a driver, driver’s helper, loader, or mechanic; and

“(B) as affecting the safety of operation of motor vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less in transportation on public highways in interstate or foreign commerce, except vehicles—

“(i) designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation;

“(ii) designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers (including the driver) and not used to transport passengers for compensation; or

“(iii) used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous under section 5103 of title 49, United States Code, and transported in a quantity requiring placarding under regulations prescribed by the Secretary under section 5103 of title 49, United States Code; and

“(3) who performs duties on motor vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less.”

Liability of Employers

Puspan. L. 106–202, § 2(d), May 18, 2000, 114 Stat. 309, provided that: “No employer shall be liable under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 [29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.] for any failure to include in an employee’s regular rate (as defined for purposes of such Act) any income or value derived from employer-provided grants or rights obtained pursuant to any stock option, stock appreciation right, or employee stock purchase program if—

“(1) the grants or rights were obtained before the effective date described in subsection (c) [set out as an Effective Date of 2000 Amendment note above];

“(2) the grants or rights were obtained within the 12-month period beginning on the effective date described in subsection (c), so long as such program was in existence on the date of enactment of this Act [May 18, 2000] and will require shareholder approval to modify such program to comply with section 7(e)(8) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 [29 U.S.C. 207(e)(8)] (as added by the amendments made by subsection (a)); or

“(3) such program is provided under a collective bargaining agreement that is in effect on the effective date described in subsection (c).”

Compensatory Time; Collective Bargaining Agreements in Effect on April 15, 1986

Puspan. L. 99–150, § 2(span), Nov. 13, 1985, 99 Stat. 788, provided that: “A collective bargaining agreement which is in effect on April 15, 1986, and which permits compensatory time off in lieu of overtime compensation shall remain in effect until its expiration date unless otherwise modified, except that compensatory time shall be provided after April 14, 1986, in accordance with section 7(o) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (as added by subsection (a)) [29 U.S.C. 207(o)].”

Deferment of Monetary Overtime Compensation

Puspan. L. 99–150, § 2(c)(2), Nov. 13, 1985, 99 Stat. 789, provided that a State, political subdivision of a State, or interstate governmental agency could defer until Aug. 1, 1986, the payment of monetary overtime compensation under this section for hours worked after Apr. 14, 1986.

Effect of Amendments by Public Law 99–150 on Public Agency Liability Respecting any Employee Covered Under Special Enforcement Policy

Amendment by Puspan. L. 99–150 not to affect liability of certain public agencies under section 216 of this title for violation of this section occurring before Apr. 15, 1986, see section 7 of Puspan. L. 99–150, set out as a note under section 216 of this title.

Rules, Regulations, and Orders Promulgated With Regard to 1966 Amendments

Secretary authorized to promulgate necessary rules, regulations, or orders on and after the date of the enactment of Puspan. L. 89–601, Sept. 23, 1966, with regard to the amendments made by Puspan. L. 89–601, see section 602 of Puspan. L. 89–601, set out as a note under section 203 of this title.

Study by Secretary of Labor of Excessive Overtime

Puspan. L. 89–601, title VI, § 603, Sept. 23, 1966, 80 Stat. 844, directed Secretary of Labor to make a complete study of practices dealing with overtime payments for work in excess of forty hours per week and the extent to which such overtime work impeded the creation of new jospan opportunities in American industry and instructed him to report to the Congress by July 1, 1967, the findings of such survey with appropriate recommendations.

Definition of “Administrator”

The term “Administrator” as meaning the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, see section 204 of this title.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Functions of all other officers of Department of Labor and functions of all agencies and employees of that Department, with exception of functions vested by Administrative Procedure Act (now covered by sections 551 et seq. and 701 et seq. of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees) in hearing examiners employed by Department, transferred to Secretary of Labor, with power vested in him to authorize their performance or performance of any of his functions by any of those officers, agencies, and employees, by Reorg. Plan No. 6 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1263, set out in the Appendix to Title 5.

Ex. Ord. No. 9607. Forty-Eight Hour Wartime Workweek

Ex. Ord. No. 9607, Aug. 30, 1945, 10 F.R. 11191, provided:

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes as President of the United States it is ordered that Executive Order 9301 of February 9, 1943 [8 F.R. 1825] (formerly set out as note under this section), establishing a minimum wartime workweek of forty-eight hours, be, and it is hereby, revoked.

Harry S. Truman.