(a) The legislative history to the 1989 Amendments (Conference Report 101-47 on H.R. 2, May 8, 1989) stated that for any industry to qualify for an extended minimum wage phase-in, the government of Puerto Rico would be required to furnish official survey data substantiating that an industry's average hourly wage is below either the $4.65 or $4.00 threshold level. Such data were to be compiled and submitted for review to the Department.

(b) Manufacturing industries. For purposes of implementing section 6(c) of the Act, as amended, Puerto Rico has submitted its Census of Manufacturing Industries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics of Puerto Rico regularly gathers data from manufacturing establishments regarding employment, hours and earnings. The data include hourly earnings for production and related workers and are generally specific to the four-digit SIC code level.

(c) Non-manufacturing industries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics of Puerto Rico designed and executed a survey to supplement data regularly gathered for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (i.e., that included in the payroll establishment survey published in Employment and Earnings). The supplemental survey was carried out to determine average hourly earnings for production workers or non-supervisory employees in the private non-agricultural, non-manufacturing sector. Employment and payroll information was collected for the payroll period which included April 12, 1989. The data provided to the Department were generally specific to the four-digit SIC code level.

(d) Agriculture. At the request of the Department, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of Puerto Rico conducted a survey of wages paid to agricultural workers which included employment and earnings from at least a specified number of sugarcane farms, coffee farms, ornamental farms, vegetable farms, and other farms, following standard statistical random sampling techniques. The survey included information on earnings, employment, and hourly wage rates paid to workers for the workweek including March 11 through March 17, 1990. In addition, applicable collective bargaining agreements were reviewed for sugarcane farms.

(e) Commonwealth government. In the case of the Commonwealth Government of Puerto Rico, a census of hourly earnings was undertaken of all government departments, commissions and other agencies. A separate survey was conducted of government corporations. Managers, officials and employees in positions which require a college degree were excluded from the surveys.

(f) Municipalities. In the case of the municipalities of Puerto Rico, a census of hourly earnings was conducted. Managers, officials and employees in positions which require a college degree were excluded from the survey.

(a) The Conference Report specifically cites Puerto Rico's annual Census of Manufacturing Industries as a source of average hourly wage data by industry. Industries in that census are organized by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), the statistical classification system used for a variety of governmental and statistical purposes. With respect to non-manufacturing industries, or other industries not included in the Census of Manufacturing, the Conference Report stated that data “should be at a level of specificity comparable to the four digit Standard Industry Code (SIC) code level.”

(b) The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes listed in appendix A and B herein are designated in accordance with the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Manual, 1987, published by the Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget. This incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161. Copies may be inspected at all federal depository libraries in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; at the district office of the Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor, New San Juan Office Building, 159 Chardon St., room 102, Hato Rey, PR 00918; at the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources, Prudencio Rivera Building, Munoz Rivera Avenue 505, Mato Rey, PR 00918; or at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html. Establishments are classified according to their primary activity. The classification structure classifies industries by:

(1) Two-digit major group,

(2) Three digit industry group, or

(3) Four-digit industry code, according to the level of industrial detail which may be required.

(a) Appendix A contains a listing of all industries included in the Census of Manufacturing. Appendix B contains a listing of non-manufacturing industries. These listing are organized by SIC numbers, presented by:

(1) Major group (two-digit classification),

(2) Industry group (three-digit classification), and (3) industry (four-digit classification). In each instance the phase-in tier which applies to that industry or group is indicated.

(b) Employers are required to utilize the most detailed classification which applies to their industry. Where an employer's four-digit SIC code is listed, the tier applicable to that code determines the minimum wage phase-in schedule for that employer. (See § 510.10, above).

(c) Where an industry is not listed by four-digit SIC code, employers shall utilize the three-digit which applies to their industry. If a three-digit code is not listed, employers shall use the applicable two-digit code.

Agriculture activities eligible for an extended phase-in of the minimum wage in Major groups 01, 02, and 07 have been incorporated into Appendix B—Nonmanufacturing Industries Eligible for Minimum Wage Phase-In. Applicable wage rates are effective retroactive to April 1, 1990. Employers in the sugarcane farming industry (SIC Number 0133) who are subject to Tier 3 wage rates but who have paid wage rates based on Tier 2 wage rates may not take any action to recoup such payments where those actions would have the effect of reducing the wage rate being paid at the time of such recoupment to below that required under Tier 3.

(a) The Commonwealth government of Puerto Rico has been determined to be eligible for treatment under Tier 2, on the basis of wage data supplied to the Department.

(b) Appendix C of this part contains a listing of Commonwealth government corporations, indicating the phase-in tier which applies. Entities which do not appear on the list are those for which no wage data were supplied. These entities are therefore categorized under Tier 1, and are ineligible for an extended phase-in.

(c) Appendix D of the part contains a listing of municipalities, indicating the phase-in tier which applies. Municipalities categorized under Tier 1 are those which failed to supply wage data.

(d) Employees of municipalities who have reason to believe that the municipality by which they are employed has been incorrectly categorized, e.g., categorized under Tier 3 instead of Tier 2, may no later than June 1, 1990, file with the Administrator a petition for review. The petition shall be accompanied by any information the employee may have to support a determination that the municipality is incorrectly categorized. In the event the Administrator determines that a tier other than that listed in appendix D of this part applies, the affected municipality shall be liable for retroactive payment of any back wages found to be due.

(e) Certain employees of municipalities or government corporations in which the average wage is less than $4.00 per hour are eligible to be paid under Tier 4, rather than Tier 3. Tier 4 applies only to those employees employed by municipalities or government corporations who are principally engaged in one or more of the “traditional” functions listed in § 510.24 (a) or (b). All other employees of such entities must be paid in accordance with Tier 3.

(a) Section 6(c)(4) of the Act, as amended, limits the six-year phase-in of the statutory minimum wage (“Tier 4”) to those employees with an average wage of less than $4.00 per hour who were brought under minimum wage coverage “pursuant to an amendment made by the Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1985.” The Department has interpreted this language as referring to section 2(c) of the 1985 FLSA Amendments, which provided for deferred liability for minimum wage violations (until April 15, 1986) “with respect to any employee who would not have been covered under the Secretary's special enforcement policy” published in 29 CFR 775.2 and 775.4. The latter subsection listed those functions of State or local government which were determined by the Supreme Court's ruling in National League of Cities v. Usery, 426 U.S. 833 (1976) (subsequently overruled by Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority, 469 U.S. 528 (1985)) to be integral operations of the governments in areas of traditional governmental functions. The listed “traditional” functions included the following:

(1) Schools.

(2) Hospitals.

(3) Fire prevention.

(4) Police protection.

(5) Sanitation.

(6) Public health.

(7) Parks and recreation.

(8) Libraries.

(9) Museums.

(b) The Supreme Court in National League of Cities clearly did not limit “traditional” functions of government to those set out in paragraph (a) of this section. The Court included within this concept all those governmental services which the States and their political subdivisions have traditionally afforded their citizens, which the States have regarded as integral parts of their governmental activities, and which State and local governments are created to provide. The Department interprets the Court's analysis of “traditional” functions as turning in large part upon whether the States or local governments had, prior to initial enactment of federal regulatory legislation applicable to a particular field of service or activity (such as FLSA), generally established themselves as providers of the services. The Department therefore views the following government functions as falling within the “traditional” category:

(1) Finance (including Auditor, Budget and Comptroller).

(2) Elections.

(3) Personnel.

(4) Public works.

(5) Office of the Mayor.

(6) Legal Affairs.

(7) Planning.

(8) Waterworks.

(9) Social services.

(10) Street and highway construction and maintenance.

(11) Automobile licensing.

(12) Sewage treatment.

(c) Employees whose primary function falls within one or more of the activities listed in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, are therefore considered to be engaged in “traditional” functions of government. This would include employees who provide support functions for such activities, such as clerical, secretarial, supply and janitorial.

(d) No employees of a municipality or government corporation may be paid in accordance with the Tier 4 phase-in schedule unless the employee:

(1) Is engaged in one of the specific activities listed in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, and

(2) Is employed by a municipality or government corporation in which the average wage is less than $4.00 per hour.

This appendix contains a listing of all manufacturing industries for which data were collected and compiled by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for purposes of implementing the 1989 Amendments to FLSA. This listing follows the order and classifications used in the SIC Manual, 1987, which is incorporated by reference in these regulations (§ 510.21).

The data in this appendix are presented by major industry group (two-digit classification), industry group number (three-digit classification), and industry number (four-digit classification). Tiers will not be listed for industry categories in which there were fewer than three employers, in conformance with standard procedures used by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in collecting and publishing these data until such time as Puerto Rico receives appropriate waivers of confidentiality from all employers in such categories. These categories are noted with an “a” on the following table. In addition, no tier will be listed where an industry was not included in the original survey, because it was not in existence, because the industry was too small to be included, or for other reasons.

Employers who do not find the four-digit classification for their industry shall refer to the appropriate three-digit classification under which their establishment falls. If the appropriate three-digit classification is not listed, employers shall refer to the appropriate two-digit classification. For example, no tier is listed for industry number 2034, dried and dehydrated fruits, vegetables, and soup mixes. Thus, an employer in industry 2034 must use the tier listed for industry group 203, i.e. Tier 2.

Further, employers who find the appropriate four-digit designation in this appendix must use that designation and cannot refer to a two- or three-digit classification. For example, an employer in industry number 2033, canned fruits, vegetables, preserves, jams, and jellies, which has a Tier 1 designation, cannot use the Tier 2 designation of industry group 203, canned, frozen, and preserved fruits, vegetables, and food specialties.

If no four-digit, three-digit, or two-digit classification is listed for an industry, employees in that group must pay the Tier 1 rates.

Important: In referring to this appendix to determine appropriate tier designations, please note that certain categories of employees are subject to treatment under Tier 1 regardless of the average hourly wage rate for the industry and the tier designation contained herein. These employees, as listed in the 1989 Amendments, are those employed by:

(a) The United States

(b) An establishment that is a hotel, motel, or restaurant, or

(c) Any other retail or service establishment that employs such employee in connection with the preparation or offering of food or beverages for human consumption, either on the premises, or by such services as catering, banquet, box lunch, or curb or counter service, to the public, to employees, or to members or guests of clubs.

Please note that these named categories may not correspond exactly to categories established by the SIC manual.

This appendix contains a listing of all non-manufacturing industries (except those in major groups 01, 02, 08, and 09, pertaining to agriculture) for which data were collected and compiled by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for purposes of implementing the 1989 Amendments to FLSA. This listing follows the order and classifications used in the SIC Manual, 1987, which is incorporated by reference in these regulations (§ 510.21).

The data in this appendix are presented by major industry group (two-digit classification), industry group number (three-digit classification), and industry number (four-digit classification).

Tiers will not be listed for industry categories in which there were fewer than three responding employers, or one responding employer had more than 80 percent of the employment in the category, in conformance with practices of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in collecting and publishing similar data, until such time as Puerto Rico receives appropriate waivers of confidentiality from all employers in such categories. These categories are noted with an “a” on the following table. In situations where one or more employers declined to furnish a waiver, categories are noted with a “b” on the following table.

In addition, no tier will be listed where an industry was not included in the original survey because it was not in existence, because the industry was too small to be included, or for other reasons.

Employers who do not find the four-digit classification for their industry shall refer to the appropriate three-digit classification under which their establishment falls. If the appropriate three-digit classification is not listed, employers shall refer to the appropriate two-digit classification.

For example, no tier is listed for industry number 1423, crushed and broken granite. However, a tier is listed for industry group 142, crushed and broken stone, including riprap. Thus, an employer in industry 1423 must use the tier listed for industry group 142, i.e., Tier 1. Furthermore, employers who find the appropriate four-digit designation in this appendix must use that designation and cannot refer to a two- or three-digit classification. For example, an employer with industry number 5719, miscellaneous homefurnishings stores, which has a Tier 1 designation, cannot refer to industry group number 571, home furniture and furnishings stores, which has a Tier 2 designation.

Important: In referring to this appendix to determine appropriate tier designations, please note that certain categories of employees are subject to treatment under Tier 1 regardless of the average hourly wage rate for the industry and the tier designation contained herein. These employees, as listed in the 1989 Amendments, are those employed by:

(a) The United States,

(b) An establishment that is a hotel, motel, or restaurant, or

(c) Any other retail or service establishment that employs such employee in connection with the preparation or offering of food or beverages for human consumption, either on the premises, or by such services as catering, banquet, box lunch, or curb or counter service, to the public, to employees, or to members or guests of clubs.

Please note that these named categories may not correspond exactly to categories established by the SIC manual.

If no four-digit, three-digit, or two-digit classification is listed for an industry, employers in that group must pay the Tier 1 rates.

This appendix contains a listing of the public organizations (corporations) in Puerto Rico for which data have been provided by the Commonwealth for purposes of implementing the 1989 Amendments to FLSA. Such Corporations are subject to Tiers 1, 2, or 3, as set forth below. Corporations which are listed under Tier 3 may pay rates specified under Tier 4 to employees engaged in traditional activities, as defined in § 510.25 of the regulations. All other employees are subject to Tier 3. Organizations for which no data were provided are subject to Tier 1 treatment.

This appendix contains a listing of the municipalities in Puerto Rico and the tier applicable to each. Municipalities with average hourly earnings below $4.65 but equal to or greater than $4.00 are subject to Tier 2, as set forth below. Municipalities with average hourly earnings under $4.00 are subject to Tier 3. Municipalities which are listed under Tier 3 may pay the rates specified under Tier 4 to employees engaged in traditional activities, as defined in § 510.25 of the regulations. All other employees are subject to Tier 3. Municipalities which did not submit data are subject to Tier 1. The tiers set forth below are subject to petitions for review by affected employees, if filed prior to June 1, 1990. If upon review it is determined that the municipality should have been subject to Tier 1 or 2, back wages will have to be paid to April 1, 1990, to make up the difference between what municipal employees were paid and what they should have been paid.