Source: https://m.openjurist.org/350/us/247
Timestamp: 2020-06-03 19:51:49
Document Index: 396756645

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 254', '§ 254', '§ 1', '§ 251', '§ 251', '§ 252', '§ 252', '§ 203', '§ 203']

350 U.S. 247 - Steiner v. P Mitchell
350 US 247 Steiner v. P Mitchell
Morris STEINER, Harry Lightman, Mitchell Magid et al., etc., Petitioners,
James P. MITCHELL, Secretary of Labor, United States Department of Labor.
Accordingly, in order to make their plant as safe a place as is possible under the circumstances and thereby increase the efficiency of its operation, petitioners have equipped it with shower facilities and a locker room with separate lockers for work and street clothing. Also, they furnish without charge old but clean work clothes which the employees wear. The cost of providing their own work clothing would be prohibitive for the employees, since the acid causes such rapid deterioration that the clothes sometimes last only a few days. Employees regularly change into work clothes before the beginning of the productive work period, and shower and change back at the end of that period.1
The trial court held that these activities 'are made necessary by the nature of the work performed'; that they fulfill 'mutual obligations' between petitioners and their employees; that they 'directly benefit' petitioners in the operation of their business, and that they 'are so closely related to other duties performed by (petitioners') employees as to be an integral part thereof and are, therefore, included among the principal activities of said employees.' It concluded that the time thereby consumed is not excluded from coverage by Section 4 of the Portal-to-Portal Act, but constitutes time worked within the meaning of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The Court of Appeals affirmed, likewise holding that the term "principal activity of activities" in Section 42 embraces all activities which are 'an integral and indispensable part of the principal activities,' and that the activities in question fall within this category.
The Portal-to-Portal Act was designed primarily to meet an 'existing emergency' resulting from claims which, if allowed in accordance with Anderson v. Mt. Clemens Pottery Co., 328 U.S. 680, 66 S.Ct. 1187, 90 L.Ed. 1515, would have created 'wholly unexpected liabilities, immense in amount and retroactive in operation.'3 This purpose was fulfilled by the enactment of Section 2.4 The trial court specifically limited the effect of this judgment to services rendered after the judgment becomes final. We are not, therefore, concerned with the provisions of Section 2, which is inapplicable to actions relating to activities of employees performed after May 14, 1947.
The language of Section 4 is not free from ambiguity and the legislative history of the Portal-to-Portal Act becomes of importance. That Act originated in a House bill, which had no provision comparable to Section 4, but rather gave similar treatment to retroactive and prospective claims; i.e., excluding coverage except by contract or custom in the industry. H.R.Rep. No. 326, 80th Cong., 1st Sess. 12. The Conference Report stated that the language of Section 4 follows the Senate bill. S.Rep. No. 48, 80th Cong., 1st Sess. 48. In the Senate, the colloquy between several Senators and Senator Cooper, a sponsor of the bill and a member of the three-man subcommittee that held hearings for the Committee on the Judiciary which reported it, demonstrates that the Senate intended the activities of changing clothes and showering to be within the protection of the Act if they are an integral part of and are essential to the principal activities of the employees.5
There is some conflicting history in the House,6 but the Senate discussion is more clear cut and, because the Section originated in that body, is more persuasive.
In 1949, Section 3(o) was added to the Act.7 Both sides apparently take comfort from it, but the position of the Government is strengthened by it since its clear implication is that clothes changing and washing, which are otherwise a part of the principal activity, may be expressly excluded from coverage by agreement. The congressional understanding of the scope of Section 4 is further marked by the fact that the Congress also enacted Section 16(c)8 at the same time, after hearing from the Administrator his outstanding interpretation of the coverage of certain preparatory activities closely related to the principal activity and indispensable to its performance.9
'(2) a custom or practice in effect, at the time of such activity, at the establishment or other place where such employee is employed, covering such activity, not inconsistent with a written or nonwritten contract, in effect at the time of such activity, between such employee, his agent, or collective-bargaining representative and his employer.' 61 Stat. 86, 29 U.S.C. § 254, 29 U.S.C.A. § 254.
§ 1(a), 61 Stat. 84, 29 U.S.C. § 251(a), 29 U.S.C.A. § 251(a).
'(2) a custom or practice in effect, at the time of such activity, at the establishment or other place where such employee was employed, covering such activity, not inconsistent with a written or nonwritten contract, in effect at the time of such activity, between such employee, his agent, or collective-bargaining representative and his employer. * * *' 61 Stat. 85, 29 U.S.C. § 252, 29 U.S.C.A. § 252.
'Sec. 3(o). Hours Worked.—In determining for the purposes of sections 6 and 7 the hours for which an employee is employed, there shall be excluded any time spent in changing clothes or washing at the beginning or end of each workday which was excluded from measured working time during the week involved by the express terms of or by custom or practice under a bona fide collective-bargaining agreement applicable to the particular employee.' 63 Stat. 911, 29 U.S.C. § 203(o), 29 U.S.C.A. § 203(o).