Since there is no absolute limitation in the Act (apart from the
child labor provisions and regulations thereunder) on the number of
hours that an employee may work in any workweek, he may work as many
hours a week as he and his employer see fit, so long as the required
overtime compensation is paid him for hours worked in excess of the
maximum workweek prescribed by section 7(a). The Act does not generally
require, however, that an employee be paid overtime compensation for
hours in excess of eight per day, or for work on Saturdays, Sundays,
holidays or regular days of rest. If no more than the maximum number of
hours prescribed in the Act are actually worked in the workweek,
overtime compensation pursuant to section 7(a) need not be paid. Nothing
in the Act, however, will relieve an employer of any obligation he may
have assumed by contract or of any obligation imposed by other Federal
or State law to limit overtime hours of work or to pay premium rates for
work in excess of a daily standard or for work on Saturdays, Sundays,
holidays, or other periods outside of or in excess of the normal or
regular workweek or workday. (The effect of making such payments is
discussed in Secs. 778.201 through 778.207 and 778.219.)
[46 FR 7309, Jan. 23, 1981]
