§ 779.303 “Establishment” defined; distinguished from “enterprise” and “business.”

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Title 29 CFR: Labor › Chapter V: WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR › Part 779: THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT AS APPLIED TO RETAILERS OF GOODS OR SERVICES › Subpart D: Exemptions for Certain Retail or Service Establishments › § 779.303: § 779.303 “Establishment” defined; distinguished from “enterprise” and “business.”

This text was captured on Aug 14, 2026. It is a snapshot, not a live feed, so check the official code before relying on it.

Text

As previously stated in § 779.23, the term

establishment

as used in the Act means a distinct physical place of business. The “enterprise,” by reason of the definition contained in section 3(r) of the Act and the tests enumerated in section 3(s) of the Act, may be composed of a single establishment. The term “establishment,” however, is not synonymous with the words “business” or “enterprise” when those terms are used to describe multiunit operations. In such a multiunit operation some of the establishments may qualify for exemption, others may not. For example, a manufacturer may operate a plant for production of its goods, a separate warehouse for storage and distribution, and several stores from which its products are sold. Each such physically separate place of business is a separate establishment. In the case of chain store systems, branch stores, groups of independent stores organized to carry on business in a manner similar to chain store systems, and retail outlets operated by manufacturing or distributing concerns, each separate place of business ordinarily is a separate establishment.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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§ 779.303 “Establishment” defined; distinguished from “enterprise” and “business.” · 29 C.F.R. § 779.303 (2026) | Frix