29 CFR § 779.212 - Enterprise must consist of related activities performed for a “common business purpose.”

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t29/s779.212"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "29 CFR § 779.212 - Enterprise must consist of related activities performed for a “common business purpose.”"
title_number: 29
title_name: "Labor"
section_number: "779.212"
section_name: "Enterprise must consist of related activities performed for a “common business purpose.”"
chapter_name: "WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "STATEMENTS OF GENERAL POLICY OR INTERPRETATION NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO REGULATIONS"
part_number: "779"
part_name: "THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT AS APPLIED TO RETAILERS OF GOODS OR SERVICES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "Secs. 1-19, 52 Stat. 1060, as amended; 75 Stat. 65; Sec. 29(B), Pub. L. 93-259, 88 Stat. 55; 29 U.S.C. 201-219."
regulatory_source: "35 FR 5856, Apr. 9, 1970, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "779"
---


# 779.212 Enterprise must consist of related activities performed for a “common business purpose.”

The related activities described in section 3(r) as included in the statutory enterprise are those performed for a “common business purpose.” (See the comprehensive discussion in 29 CFR part 776.) The term “common business purpose” as used in the definition does not have a narrow concept and is not intended to be limited to a single business establishment or a single type of business. As pointed out above, retailing, wholesaling and manufacturing may, under certain circumstances be engaged in for a “common business purpose.” (See § 779.209.) An example was also cited where retailing and construction were performed for a common business purpose. (See § 779.206.) On the other hand, it is clear that even a single individual or corporation may perform activities for different business purposes. (See § 779.211.) Thus the reports of the House of Representatives cite, as an example of this, the case of a single company which owns several retail apparel stores and is also engaged in the lumbering business. It concludes that these activities are not part of a single enterprise. (H. Rept. 75, 87th Cong.,1st Sess., p. 7 and H. Rept. 1366, 89th Cong. 2d Sess., p. 9.)