---
kind: "section"
citation: "29 U.S.C. § 202"
title: "29"
title_heading: "Labor"
number: "202"
heading: "Congressional finding and declaration of policy"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/29/202"
units:
  - "Chapter 8 — Fair Labor Standards"
---

# §202. Congressional finding and declaration of policy

- (a) The Congress finds that the existence, in [industries](/usc/29/203.md?p=h) engaged in [commerce](/usc/29/203.md?p=b) or in the production of [goods](/usc/29/203.md?p=i) for [commerce](/usc/29/203.md?p=b), of labor conditions detrimental to the maintenance of the minimum standard of living necessary for health, efficiency, and general well-being of workers (1) causes [commerce](/usc/29/203.md?p=b) and the channels and instrumentalities of [commerce](/usc/29/203.md?p=b) to be used to spread and perpetuate such labor conditions among the workers of the several [States](/usc/29/203.md?p=c); (2) burdens [commerce](/usc/29/203.md?p=b) and the free flow of [goods](/usc/29/203.md?p=i) in [commerce](/usc/29/203.md?p=b); (3) constitutes an unfair method of competition in [commerce](/usc/29/203.md?p=b); (4) leads to labor disputes burdening and obstructing [commerce](/usc/29/203.md?p=b) and the free flow of [goods](/usc/29/203.md?p=i) in [commerce](/usc/29/203.md?p=b); and (5) interferes with the orderly and fair marketing of [goods](/usc/29/203.md?p=i) in [commerce](/usc/29/203.md?p=b). That Congress further finds that the employment of [persons](/usc/29/203.md?p=a) in domestic service in households affects [commerce](/usc/29/203.md?p=b).
- (b) It is declared to be the policy of this chapter, through the exercise by Congress of its power to regulate [commerce](/usc/29/203.md?p=b) among the several [States](/usc/29/203.md?p=c) and with foreign nations, to correct and as rapidly as practicable to eliminate the conditions above referred to in such [industries](/usc/29/203.md?p=h) without substantially curtailing employment or earning power.

## Source credit

(June 25, 1938, ch. 676, § 2, 52 Stat. 1060; Oct. 26, 1949, ch. 736, § 2, 63 Stat. 910; Pub. L. 93–259, § 7(a), Apr. 8, 1974, 88 Stat. 62.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1974—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 93–259 inserted finding of Congress that employment of persons in domestic service in households affects commerce.

1949—Subsec. (b). Act Oct. 26, 1949, inserted reference to regulation of commerce with foreign nations.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1974 Amendment

Pub. L. 93–259, § 29(a), Apr. 8, 1974, 88 Stat. 76, provided that: “Except as otherwise specifically provided, the amendments made by this Act [see Short Title of 1974 Amendment note set out under section 201 of this title] shall take effect on May 1, 1974.”

### Effective Date of 1949 Amendment

Act Oct. 26, 1949, ch. 736, § 16(a), 63 Stat. 919, provided that: “The amendments made by this Act [enacting section 216b of this title, amending this section and sections 203 to 208, 211 to 216, and 217 of this title, and repealing section 216a of this title] shall take effect upon the expiration of ninety days from the date of its enactment [Oct. 26, 1947]; except that the amendment made by section 4 [amending section 204 of this title] shall take effect on the date of its enactment [Oct. 26, 1949].”

### Rules, Regulations, and Orders With Regard to Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1974

Pub. L. 93–259, § 29(b), Apr. 8, 1974, 88 Stat. 76, provided that: “Notwithstanding subsection (a) [set out as an Effective Date of 1974 Amendment note above], on and after the date of the enactment of this Act [Apr. 8, 1974] the Secretary of Labor is authorized to prescribe necessary rules, regulations, and orders with regard to the amendments made by this Act [see Short Title of 1974 Amendment note set out under section 201 of this title].”