# 29 CFR § 779.303: “Establishment” defined; distinguished from “enterprise” and “business.”

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-29-779.303

## Section

- **Citation:** 29 CFR § 779.303
- **Heading:** “Establishment” defined; distinguished from “enterprise” and “business.”
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** September 22, 2026
- **Source:** Publisher's official text
- **Location:** Title 29—Labor > Subtitle B—Regulations Relating to Labor > CHAPTER V—WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR > SUBCHAPTER B—STATEMENTS OF GENERAL POLICY OR INTERPRETATION NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO REGULATIONS > PART 779—THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT AS APPLIED TO RETAILERS OF GOODS OR SERVICES > Subpart D—Exemptions for Certain Retail or Service Establishments > “Establishment” Basis of Exemptions

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

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-29-779.303. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.