The interpretations of the law contained in this part are official
interpretations which may be relied upon as provided in section 10 of
the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947. In addition, the Supreme Court has
recognized that such interpretations of the Act ``provide a practical
guide to employers and employees as to how the office representing the
public interest in its enforcement will seek to apply it'' and
``constitute a body of experience and informed judgment to which courts
and litigants may properly resort for guidance.'' Further, as stated by
the Court: ``Good administration of the Act and good judicial
administration alike require that the standards of public enforcement
and those for determining private rights shall be at variance only where
justified by very good reasons.'' (Skidmore v. Swift, 323 U.S. 134.)
Some of the interpretations in subpart D of this part relating to the
scope of the exemption provided for retail or service establishments are
interpretations of this exemption as it appeared in the original Act
before amendment in 1949
and 1961, which have remained unchanged because they were consistent
with the amendments. These interpretations may be said to have
Congressional sanction because ``When Congress amended the Act in 1949
it provided that pre-1949 rulings and interpretations by the
Administrator should remain in effect unless inconsistent with the
statute as amended. 63 Stat. 920.'' (Mitchell v. Kentucky Finance Co.,
359 U.S. 290.)
