Agricultural Handling and Processing Industries; Data Pertinent to an Evaluation of Overtime Exemptions Available under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Volume I.

This report covers the major agricultural handling and processing industries qualifying for partial overtime exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act and evaluates the need for such exemptions. Questionnaires which were sent to firms in various processing industries provide data on nearly 4,000 processors. The results show that existing exemptions are not fully utilized. Many firms are paying premium rates for overtime, and there was a large drop in man-hours over 40 a week during the periods when exemptions were most likely to be claimed, usually occurring before the end of the exemption period. The report concludes that the favored position held for three decades by agricultural processors should be reexamined, since the findings indicate that the exemption period could be reduced gradually to provide an orderly adjustment to the standards applicable to other industries. The appendix to this report is available as VT 012 248. (BH)