Homeworker Handbook U.S. Department of Labor

Employment Standards Administration 

Wage and Hour Division 

O.M.B. No. 1215-0013 

Expires: 08/31/2006 

This handbook is the property of the Wage and Hour Division, Employment Standards Administration, United 

States Department of Labor, and must be returned upon request. This is a Federal handbook only and does not 

authorize the distribution of homework by any employer or by any contractor in violation of any applicable State 

law or regulation. 

1. A. Homeworker's name: (last name) (first name) 

B. Address: (number, street, city, State, Zip code) 

2. A. Firm's name: 

B. Address: (number, street, city, State, ZIP code) 

3. Homework distributed from: (number, street, city, State, Zip code) 

6. Required minimum wage 

7. Date issued to homeworker (month, day, year): 

4. Industry: 5. Day and time workweek begins 

8. Homeworker's certificate number (if applicable) (See Regulations 29 CFR 530.4) 

Form WH-75 

Rev. Nov. 1988 
NOTICE TO EMPLOYER AND HOMEWORKER 

1. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, homeworkers are entitled to the same protections of the law as other 

employees. Any violations committed with respect to homeworkers are subject to the penalties set forth in 

the law and in Regulations, 29 CFR Parts 530 and 579. 

2. Homeworkers must be paid at a rate of not less than the minimum wage provided in the Act for all hours 

worked unless a lower rate is permitted under a special certificate for an individual homeworker in 

accordance with Regulations, 29 CFR Part 525. 

3. Homeworkers must be paid overtime pay at a rate of not less than one and one-half times their regular 

rates of pay for all hours of work after 40 in a workweek. 

4. Deductions from wages for damaged goods, cost of tools or materials (yarn, thread, packing materials, 

etc.), cost of machines or other equipment, etc., are not permitted and workers may not themselves pay 

such costs without reimbursement where this reduces the wages received to less than the minimum wage 

or cuts into required overtime pay. 

5. No one under 16 years of age is permitted to perform industrial homework as defined in Regulations, 29

CFR Part 530. 

6. The work record entered in this handbook must be only for the employee named on the front page. 

7. Records of hours worked and earnings of homeworkers must be kept by the employer in accordance

with section 516.31 of Regulations, 29 CFR Part 516. 

8. No homework may be performed on Government manufacturing or supply contracts subject to the

Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act. 
INSTRUCTIONS 

(Enter in ink all information required) 

Each page of this handbook is a time sheet to be used by the homeworker to accurately record all the 

hours worked in one workweek. A workweek is a fixed period of 7 consecutive calendar days - 168 hours. 

The employer designates the time of the day and day of the week on which the workweek begins. 

In many instances, a homeworker does not work continuously, so space has been provided for several 

daily entries of starting and stopping times, if needed. It is important that the homeworker accurately 

record each time he or she starts and stops working (for example, ''Start" - 8:15 a.m.; ''Stop'' - 10:45 a.m.). 

This time should be recorded immediately when he or she starts and stops working, rather than at the end 

of the day or workweek. However, short breaks or rest periods of less than 20 minutes need not be recorded. 

Activities which must be considered hours worked (and paid for each pay period) include all time spent in: 

(a) setting up and putting away machines and materials,

(b) adjusting, threading, cleaning, oiling, or repairing machines,

(c) actual production of the articles,

(d) inspection of the articles,

(e) repairing or re-work,

(f) sorting and packing or unpacking materials,

(g) training to produce new designs or new items,

(h) rest periods of short duration (up to 20 minutes),

(i) traveling to and from the distribution point to pick up and/or deliver the homeworker's own

work or the work of other homeworkers (where the travel includes time spent in personal 

activities, such as shopping or going to the post office, this personal travel time need not 

be included in counting the hours worked), 

(j) waiting at the distribution point to pick up work or deliver completed work and have it 

inspected,

(k) any other activity required to produce the article, or otherwise required by the employer to 

be performed. 

In the space indicated, the homeworker is to record the type(s) of article(s) worked on each day, the number 

of pieces made, and any other activities (travel, packing, etc.). The homeworker also is to record all 

business-related expenses incurred during the workweek, such as cost of thread and tools, postage, etc., 

in the space provided at the bottom of the time sheet. 

Except for the time necessary for the calculation of hours worked at the end of the pay period by the 

employer, the handbook shall remain in the possession of the homeworker until filled in (that is, no space 

is left for entries) or until the homeworker's employment is terminated, at which time the handbook shall 

be returned to the employer as required by the regulations. The employer then signs and dates the 

statement on the final page and keeps and preserves the handbook for at least 2 years. 

For further information or additional handbooks, contact the nearest office of the Wage and Hour Division, 

Employment Standards Administration, United States Department of Labor. 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
Article (hat, glove, etc.)

Style or lot number and number of pieces of each Workweek Ending Date: Other activities (travel, packing, etc.)

Start Stop Hours

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7 

Total Expenses (description/amount)

Hours 
I attest that the homeworker to whom this handbook was issued was instructed to accurately 

record all hours worked, piece work information, and business-related expenses. I also attest 

that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the information was recorded accurately. 

Date Signature of Employer 

Public Burden Statement 

Persons are not required to respond to this collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Completion of 

this response is voluntary. We estimate that it will take an average of 30 minutes to complete this collection of information, including time 

for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the 

collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including 

suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Labor, Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, ESA, Room S3502, 200 

Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210 (Paperwork Reduction Project 1215-0013). 

DO NOT SEND THE COMPLETED FORM TO THIS OFFICE