Source: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2011-title29/html/USCODE-2011-title29-chap8-sec207.htm
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 16:13:56+00:00

Document:
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no employer shall employ any of his employees who in any workweek is engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, or is employed in an enterprise engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, for a workweek longer than forty hours unless such employee receives compensation for his employment in excess of the hours above specified at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate at which he is employed.
unless such employee receives compensation for his employment in excess of the hours above specified at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate at which he is employed.
and if such employee receives compensation for employment in excess of twelve hours in any workday, or for employment in excess of fifty-six hours in any workweek, as the case may be, at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate at which he is employed.
(ii) made based upon the past performance (which may include any criteria) of one or more employees in a given period so long as the determination is in the sole discretion of the employer and not pursuant to any prior contract.
No employer shall be deemed to have violated subsection (a) of this section by employing any employee for a workweek in excess of the maximum workweek applicable to such employee under subsection (a) of this section if such employee is employed pursuant to a bona fide individual contract, or pursuant to an agreement made as a result of collective bargaining by representatives of employees, if the duties of such employee necessitate irregular hours of work, and the contract or agreement (1) specifies a regular rate of pay of not less than the minimum hourly rate provided in subsection (a) or (b) of section 206 of this title (whichever may be applicable) and compensation at not less than one and one-half times such rate for all hours worked in excess of such maximum workweek, and (2) provides a weekly guaranty of pay for not more than sixty hours based on the rates so specified.
and if (i) the employee's average hourly earnings for the workweek exclusive of payments described in paragraphs (1) through (7) of subsection (e) of this section are not less than the minimum hourly rate required by applicable law, and (ii) extra overtime compensation is properly computed and paid on other forms of additional pay required to be included in computing the regular rate.
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), sums excluded from the regular rate pursuant to subsection (e) of this section shall not be creditable toward wages required under section 206 of this title or overtime compensation required under this section.
(2) Extra compensation paid as described in paragraphs (5), (6), and (7) of subsection (e) of this section shall be creditable toward overtime compensation payable pursuant to this section.
No employer shall be deemed to have violated subsection (a) of this section by employing any employee of a retail or service establishment for a workweek in excess of the applicable workweek specified therein, if (1) the regular rate of pay of such employee is in excess of one and one-half times the minimum hourly rate applicable to him under section 206 of this title, and (2) more than half his compensation for a representative period (not less than one month) represents commissions on goods or services. 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.
No employer engaged in the operation of a hospital or 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 shall be deemed to have violated subsection (a) of this section if, pursuant to an agreement or understanding arrived at between the employer and the employee before performance of the work, a work period of fourteen consecutive days is accepted in lieu of the workweek of seven consecutive days for purposes of overtime computation and if, for his employment in excess of eight hours in any workday and in excess of eighty hours in such fourteen-day period, the employee receives compensation at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate at which he is employed.
compensation at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate at which he is employed.
No employer shall employ any employee in domestic service in one or more households for a workweek longer than forty hours unless such employee receives compensation for such employment in accordance with subsection (a) of this section.
An employer who receives an exemption under this subsection shall not be eligible for any other exemption under this section.
In the case of an employee of an employer engaged in the business of operating a street, suburban or interurban electric railway, or local trolley or motorbus carrier (regardless of whether or not such railway or carrier is public or private or operated for profit or not for profit), in determining the hours of employment of such an employee to which the rate prescribed by subsection (a) of this section applies there shall be excluded the hours such employee was employed in charter activities by such employer if (1) the employee's employment in such activities was pursuant to an agreement or understanding with his employer arrived at before engaging in such employment, and (2) if employment in such activities is not part of such employee's regular employment.
(1) Employees of a public agency which is a State, a political subdivision of a State, or an interstate governmental agency may receive, in accordance with this subsection and in lieu of overtime compensation, compensatory time off at a rate not less than one and one-half hours for each hour of employment for which overtime compensation is required by this section.
(B) if the employee has not accrued compensatory time in excess of the limit applicable to the employee prescribed by paragraph (3).
In the case of employees described in clause (A)(ii) hired prior to April 15, 1986, the regular practice in effect on April 15, 1986, with respect to compensatory time off for such employees in lieu of the receipt of overtime compensation, shall constitute an agreement or understanding under such clause (A)(ii). Except as provided in the previous sentence, the provision of compensatory time off to such employees for hours worked after April 14, 1986, shall be in accordance with this subsection.
(3)(A) If the work of an employee for which compensatory time may be provided included work in a public safety activity, an emergency response activity, or a seasonal activity, the employee engaged in such work may accrue not more than 480 hours of compensatory time for hours worked after April 15, 1986. If such work was any other work, the employee engaged in such work may accrue not more than 240 hours of compensatory time for hours worked after April 15, 1986. Any such employee who, after April 15, 1986, has accrued 480 or 240 hours, as the case may be, of compensatory time off shall, for additional overtime hours of work, be paid overtime compensation.
(B) If compensation is paid to an employee for accrued compensatory time off, such compensation shall be paid at the regular rate earned by the employee at the time the employee receives such payment.
shall be permitted by the employee's employer to use such time within a reasonable period after making the request if the use of the compensatory time does not unduly disrupt the operations of the public agency.
(B) the hours spent performing such duties are outside of the hours such employee performs other work (including hours for which the agency requires the employee's attendance) pursuant to the employment relationship with such public agency.
For purposes of this section, the amount paid such employee in accordance with subparagraph (A) for the performance of court reporting transcript preparation duties, shall not be considered in the calculation of the regular rate at which such employee is employed.
(B) the terms “compensatory time” and “compensatory time off” mean hours during which an employee is not working, which are not counted as hours worked during the applicable workweek or other work period for purposes of overtime compensation, and for which the employee is compensated at the employee's regular rate.
(C) otherwise affects the condition of employment of such employees by a separate and independent employer.
(2) If an employee of a public agency which is a State, political subdivision of a State, or an interstate governmental agency undertakes, on an occasional or sporadic basis and solely at the employee's option, part-time employment for the public agency which is in a different capacity from any capacity in which the employee is regularly employed with the public agency, the hours such employee was employed in performing the different employment shall be excluded by the public agency in the calculation of the hours for which the employee is entitled to overtime compensation under this section.
(3) If an individual who is employed in any capacity by a public agency which is a State, political subdivision of a State, or an interstate governmental agency, agrees, with the approval of the public agency and solely at the option of such individual, to substitute during scheduled work hours for another individual who is employed by such agency in the same capacity, the hours such employee worked as a substitute shall be excluded by the public agency in the calculation of the hours for which the employee is entitled to overtime compensation under this section.
(3) does not include job specific training.
(2) An employer shall not be required to compensate an employee receiving reasonable break time under paragraph (1) for any work time spent for such purpose.
(3) An employer that employs less than 50 employees shall not be subject to the requirements of this subsection, if such requirements would impose an undue hardship by causing the employer significant difficulty or expense when considered in relation to the size, financial resources, nature, or structure of the employer's business.
(4) Nothing in this subsection shall preempt a State law that provides greater protections to employees than the protections provided for under this subsection.
The Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1966, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is Pub. 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 Pub. L. 89–601, which is Feb. 1, 1967 except as otherwise provided, see section 602 of Pub. 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 Pub. 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.
2010—Subsec. (r). Pub. L. 111–148 added subsec. (r).
2000—Subsec. (e)(8). Pub. L. 106–202, §2(a), added par. (8).
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 106–202, §2(b), designated existing provisions as par. (2) and added par. (1).
1995—Subsec. (o)(6), (7). Pub. L. 104–26 added par. (6) and redesignated former par. (6) as (7).
1989—Subsec. (q). Pub. L. 101–157 added subsec. (q).
1985—Subsec. (o). Pub. L. 99–150, §2(a), added subsec. (o).
Subsec. (p). Pub. L. 99–150, §3(a)–(c)(1), added subsec. (p).
1974—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 93–259, §19(a), (b), substituted “seven workweeks” for “ten workweeks”, “ten workweeks” for “fourteen workweeks” and “forty-eight hours” for “fifty hours” effective May 1, 1974. Pub. L. 93–259, §19(c), substituted “five workweeks” for “seven workweeks” and “seven workweeks” for “ten workweeks” effective Jan. 1, 1975. Pub. L. 93–259, §19(d), substituted “three workweeks” for “five workweeks” and “five workweeks” for “seven workweeks” effective Jan. 1, 1976. Pub. L. 93–259, §19(e), repealed subsec. (c) effective Dec. 31, 1976.
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 93–259, §19(a), (b), substituted “seven workweeks” for “ten workweeks”, “ten workweeks” for “fourteen workweeks” and “forty-eight hours” for “fifty hours” effective May 1, 1974. Pub. L. 93–259, §19(c), substituted “five workweeks” for “seven workweeks” and “seven workweeks” for “ten workweeks” effective Jan. 1, 1975. Pub. L. 93–259, §19(d), substituted “three workweeks” for “five workweeks” and “five workweeks” for “seven workweeks” effective Jan. 1, 1976. Pub. L. 93–259, §19(e), repealed subsec. (d) effective Dec. 31, 1976.
Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 93–259, §12(b), 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). Pub. 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)”.
Pub. L. 93–259, §6(c)(1)(C), substituted “216 hours” for “232 hours”, wherever appearing, effective Jan. 1, 1977.
Pub. L. 93–259, §6(c)(1)(B), substituted “232 hours” for “240 hours”, wherever appearing, effective Jan. 1, 1976.
Pub. L. 93–259, §6(c)(1)(A), added subsec. (k), effective Jan. 1, 1975.
Subsec. (l). Pub. L. 93–259, §7(b)(2), added subsec. (l).
Subsec. (m). Pub. L. 93–259, §9(a), added subsec. (m).
Subsec. (n). Pub. L. 93–259, §21(a), added subsec. (n).
1966—Subsec. (a). Pub. 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. (b)(3). Pub. L. 89–601, §212(b), 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). Pub. 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). Pub. L. 89–601, §204(c), added subsec. (d). Former subsec. (d) redesignated (e).
Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. 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). Pub. 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). Pub. 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). Pub. L. 89–601, §403, added subsec. (j).
1961—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 87–30, §6(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted “in any workweek”, and added par. (2).
Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 87–30, §6(b), substituted “in excess of the maximum workweek applicable to such employee under subsection (a) of this section” for “in excess of forty hours in the workweek”.
Subsec. (d)(5), (7). Pub. L. 87–30, §6(c), (d), substituted “in excess of the maximum workweek applicable to such employee under subsection (a) of this section” for “forty in a workweek” in par. (5) and “the maximum workweek applicable to such employee under subsection (a) of this section” for “forty hours” in par. (7).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 87–30, §6(e), substituted “the maximum workweek applicable to such employee under subsection (a) of this section”, “subsection (a) or (b) 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). Pub. L. 87–30, §6(f), substituted “the maximum workweek applicable to such employee under subsection” for “forty hours” in two places.
Subsec. (h). Pub. 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. (b)(1). Act Oct. 26, 1949, increased employment period limitation from one thousand hours to one thousand and forty hours in semi-annual agreements.
Subsec. (b)(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. (b)(2) amended by act Oct. 29, 1941.
Amendment by Pub. L. 99–150 effective Apr. 15, 1986, see section 6 of Pub. L. 99–150, set out as a note under section 203 of this title.
Section 6(c)(1)(A)–(D) of Pub. L. 93–259 provided that the amendments made by that section are effective Jan. 1, 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1978, respectively.
Amendment by sections 7(b)(2), 9(a), 12(b), 19(a), (b), and 21(a) of Pub. L. 93–259 effective May 1, 1974, see section 29(a) of Pub. L. 93–259, set out as a note under section 202 of this title.
Section 19(c)–(e) of Pub. L. 93–259 provided that the amendments and repeals made by that section are effective Jan. 1, 1975, Jan. 1, 1976, and Dec. 31, 1976, respectively.
Amendment by Pub. L. 89–601 effective Feb. 1, 1967, except as otherwise provided, see section 602 of Pub. L. 89–601, set out as a note under section 203 of this title.
Amendment by Pub. L. 87–30 effective upon expiration of one hundred and twenty days after May 5, 1961, except as otherwise provided, see section 14 of Pub. L. 87–30, set out as a note under section 203 of this title.
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.
“(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(b)(1) of that Act (29 U.S.C. 213(b)(1)).
“(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.
Amendment by Pub. 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 Pub. L. 99–150, set out as a note under section 216 of this title.
Secretary authorized to promulgate necessary rules, regulations, or orders on and after the date of the enactment of Pub. L. 89–601, Sept. 23, 1966, with regard to the amendments made by Pub. L. 89–601, see section 602 of Pub. L. 89–601, set out as a note under section 203 of this title.
Pub. 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 job opportunities in American industry and instructed him to report to the Congress by July 1, 1967, the findings of such survey with appropriate recommendations.
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.
The term “Administrator” as meaning the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, see section 204 of this title.
3 So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.

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