§ 776.10 Employees participating in the actual movement of commerce.

(a) Under the principles stated in § 776.9, the wage and hours provisions of the Act apply typically, but not exclusively, to employees such, as those in the telephone, ^[1] telegraph, ^[2] television, radio, ^[3] transportation and shipping ^[4] industries, since these industries serve as the actual instrumentalities and channels of interstate and foreign commerce. Similarly, employees of such businesses as banking, insurance, newspaper publishing, ^[5] and others which regularly utilize the channels of interstate and foreign commerce in the course of their operations, are generally covered by the Act.

(b) Employees whose work is an essential part of the stream of interstate or foreign commerce, in whatever type of business they are employed, are likewise engaged in commerce and within the Act's coverage. This would include, for example, employees of a warehouse whose activities are connected with the receipt or distribution of goods across State lines. ^[6] Also, since “commerce” as used in the Act includes not only “transmission” of communications but “communication” itself, employees whose work involves the continued use of the interstate mails, telegraph, telephone or similar instrumentalities for communication across State lines are covered by the Act. ^[7] This does not mean that any use by an employee of the mails and other channels of communication is sufficient to establish coverage. But if the employee, as a regular and recurrent part of his duties, uses such instrumentalities in obtaining or communicating information or in sending or receiving written reports or messages, or orders for goods or services, or plans or other documents across State lines, he comes within the scope of the Act as an employee directly engaged in the work of “communication” between the State and places outside the State.