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

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_303

## Section

- **Citation:** 29 C.F.R. § 779.303 (2026)
- **Heading:** “Establishment” defined; distinguished from “enterprise” and “business.”
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** 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.”

## 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.

## Nearby sections

- [29 C.F.R. § 779.300 (2026) § 779.300   Purpose of subpart.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_300.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.301 (2026) § 779.301   Statutory provisions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_301.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.302 (2026) § 779.302   Exemptions depend on character of establishment.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_302.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.303 (2026) § 779.303   “Establishment” defined; distinguished from “enterprise” and “business.”](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_303.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.304 (2026) § 779.304   Illustrations of a single establishment.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_304.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.305 (2026) § 779.305   Separate establishments on the same premises.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_305.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.306 (2026) § 779.306   Leased departments not separate establishments.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_306.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.307 (2026) § 779.307   Meaning and scope of “employed by” and “employee of.”](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_307.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.308 (2026) § 779.308   Employed within scope of exempt business.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_308.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.309 (2026) § 779.309   Employed “in” but not “by.”](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_309.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.310 (2026) § 779.310   Employees of employers operating multi-unit businesses.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_310.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.311 (2026) § 779.311   Employees working in more than one establishment of same employer.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_311.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.312 (2026) § 779.312   “Retail or service establishment”, defined in section 13(a)(2).](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_312.md)
- [29 C.F.R. § 779.313 (2026) § 779.313   Requirements summarized.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_313.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T29_P779_S779_303. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.