October Term 2006 · Docket 06-593
Does the Fair Labor Standards Act allow agencies to hire home-care workers without paying overtime?
the sides that brought the case argue the statute exempts all home-care workers. the opposing sides claim the exemption covers only direct hires.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Farr argued Congress delegated definition power to the Department of Labor.
Mr. Salmons argued the statute text imposes no employer identity limit.
Mr. Becker argued the Department of Labor defined the term in 1975.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 21-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-29 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 31-19 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 31-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 20-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 20-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-49 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 47-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 47-5
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the scope of the Fair Labor Standards Act. It asks if the companionship exemption applies to agency workers.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-29 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 20-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 20-23
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 16, 2007.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 31-19 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 31-19
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want the exemption to cover agency workers.
the opposing sides want the exemption limited to direct hires.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-29 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 20-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 20-23
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue the statute text controls the exemption scope.
the opposing sides argue the agency regulation defines the exemption scope.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-29 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 20-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 20-23
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked about the Department of Labor's initial position.
Justice Scalia asked for the definition of a footman.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 21-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 31-19 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 31-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-49 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 47-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 47-5
Why it matters
This dispute determines pay rules for millions of home-care workers. It defines the boundary between exempt and non-exempt labor. It shapes the balance between statutory text and agency rulemaking.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-29 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 20-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 20-23
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 21-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 31-19 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 31-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-49 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 47-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 47-5
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-29 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 20-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 20-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-29 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 20-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 20-23
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.