In November, 1947, the Administrator issued the Portal-to-Portal
Bulletin (part 790 of this chapter). In dealing with this subject,
Sec. 790.8 (b) and (c) of this chapter said:
(b) The term ``principal activities'' includes all activities which
are an integral part of a principal activity. Two examples of what is
meant by an integral part of a principal activity are found in the
report of the Judiciary Committee of the Senate on the Portal-to-Portal
bill. They are the following:
(1) In connection with the operation of a lathe, an employee will
frequently, at the commencement of his workday, oil, grease, or clean
his machine, or install a new cutting tool. Such activities are an
integral part of the principal activity, and are included within such
term.
(2) In the case of a garment worker in a textile mill, who is
required to report 30 minutes before other employees report to commence
their principal activities, and who during such 30 minutes distributes
clothing or parts of clothing at the workbenches of other employees and
gets machines in readiness for operation by other employees, such
activities are among the principal activities of such employee.
Such preparatory activities, which the Administrator has always regarded
as work and as compensable under the Fair Labor Standards Act, remain so
under the Portal Act, regardless of contrary custom or contract.
(c) Among the activities included as an integral part of a principal
activity are those closely related activities which are indispensable to
its performance. If an employee in a chemical plant, for example, cannot
perform his principal activities without putting on certain clothes,
changing clothes on the employer's premises at the beginning and end of
the workday would be an integral part of the employee's principal
activity. On the other hand, if changing clothes is merely a convenience
to the employee and not directly related to his principal activities, it
would be considered as a ``preliminary'' or ``postliminary'' activity
rather than a principal part of the activity. However, activities such
as checking in and out and waiting in line to do so would not ordinarily
be regarded as integral parts of the principal activity or activities.
