hours of labor

The time in hours per day or per week spent by an employee in the service of his employer. Statutes enacted under the police power, in consideration of the health of laborers and the safety of the public, applicable in certain occupations which are particularly fatiguing, such statutes being distinguishable from those which prescribe what shall constitute a day's work in the absence of an agreement by the parties on the point. 31 Am J Rev ed Lab § 780. As used in the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the term includes not only the hours that employees were actually engaged in manual labor, but also such hours during which they were charged with the operation of the plant. Fleming v Rex Oil & Gas Co. (DC Mich) 43 F Supp 951. Whether sleeping time allowed an employee at his station is work time within the meaning of the Fair Labor Standards Act depends upon the express or implied agreement of the parties and, in the absence of an agreement, upon the nature of the service. General Electric Co. v Porter (CA9 Wash) 208 F2d 805, 44 ALR2d 854. See day's work; Hours of Service Act.