29 CFR § 780.503 - What determines the application of the exemption.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t29/s780.503"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "29 CFR § 780.503 - What determines the application of the exemption."
title_number: 29
title_name: "Labor"
section_number: "780.503"
section_name: "What determines the application of the exemption."
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: "780"
part_name: "EXEMPTIONS APPLICABLE TO AGRICULTURE, PROCESSING OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES, AND RELATED SUBJECTS UNDER THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT"
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; 29 U.S.C. 201-219. Pub. L. 105-78, 111 Stat. 1467."
regulatory_source: "37 FR 12084, June 17, 1972, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "780"
---


# 780.503 What determines the application of the exemption.

The application of the section 13(a)(14) exemption depends upon the nature of the work performed by the individual employee for whom exemption is sought and not upon the character of the work of the employer. A determination of whether an employee is exempt therefore requires an examination of that employee's duties. Some employees of the employer may therefore be exempt while others may not.