The provisions of section 6(b)(2) of the Act require that a seaman
employed on an American vessel be paid wages equal to compensation at
not less than the prescribed minimum wage rate for all of the hours the
employee ``was actually on duty (including periods aboard ship when the
employee was on watch or was, at the direction of a superior officer,
performing work or
standing by, but not including off-duty periods which are provided
pursuant to the employment agreement)''. The Act in this portion of
section 6(b)(2) is reflecting concepts that are well established in the
law, and existing precedents (in such cases as Armour & Co. v. Wantock,
323 U.S. 126; Skidmore v. Swift & Co., 323 U.S. 134; Steiner v.
Mitchell, 350 U.S. 247; Mitchell v. King Packing Co., 350 U.S. 260;
Tennessee Coal, Iron & R. Co. v. Muscoda Local N. 123, 321 U.S. 590; and
General Electric Co. v. Porter, 208 F. 2d 805, certiorari denied, 347
U.S. 951, 975) would be applicable in determining what time constitutes
hours worked. See also the general discussion of hours worked in part
785 of this chapter.
