29 USC § 260 - Liquidated damages

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t29/s260"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "29 USC § 260 - Liquidated damages"
title_number: 29
title_name: "LABOR"
section_number: "260"
section_name: "Liquidated damages"
chapter_number: 9
chapter_name: "PORTAL-TO-PORTAL PAY"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(May 14, 1947, ch. 52, § 11, 61 Stat. 89; Pub. L. 93–259, § 6(d)(2)(B), Apr. 8, 1974, 88 Stat. 62.)"
---


# § 260. Liquidated damages

May 14, 194729 U.S.C. 201section 216 of this title

In any action commenced prior to or on or after  to recover unpaid minimum wages, unpaid overtime compensation, or liquidated damages, under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended [ et seq.], if the employer shows to the satisfaction of the court that the act or omission giving rise to such action was in good faith and that he had reasonable grounds for believing that his act or omission was not a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, the court may, in its sound discretion, award no liquidated damages or award any amount thereof not to exceed the amount specified in .

---

**Source Credit**: (May 14, 1947, ch. 52, § 11, 61 Stat. 89; Pub. L. 93–259, § 6(d)(2)(B), Apr. 8, 1974, 88 Stat. 62.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, referred to in text, is , , as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 8 (§ 201 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see  and Tables.

### Amendments

1974— substituted “” for “”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1974 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , see , set out as a note under .