Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 29 : Section 255


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/19/04
Section 255. Statute of limitations

      Any action commenced on or after May 14, 1947, to enforce any
    cause of action for unpaid minimum wages, unpaid overtime
    compensation, or liquidated damages, under the Fair Labor Standards
    Act of 1938, as amended [29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.], the Walsh-Healey
    Act [41 U.S.C. 35 et seq.], or the Bacon-Davis Act (!1) - 

        (a) if the cause of action accrues on or after May 14, 1947 -
      may be commenced within two years after the cause of action
      accrued, and every such action shall be forever barred unless
      commenced within two years after the cause of action accrued,
      except that a cause of action arising out of a willful violation
      may be commenced within three years after the cause of action
      accrued;
        (b) if the cause of action accrued prior to May 14, 1947 - may
      be commenced within whichever of the following periods is the
      shorter: (1) two years after the cause of action accrued, or (2)
      the period prescribed by the applicable State statute of
      limitations; and, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this
      section, every such action shall be forever barred unless
      commenced within the shorter of such two periods;
        (c) if the cause of action accrued prior to May 14, 1947, the
      action shall not be barred by paragraph (b) of this section if it
      is commenced within one hundred and twenty days after May 14,
      1947 unless at the time commenced it is barred by an applicable
      State statute of limitations;
        (d) with respect to any cause of action brought under section
      216(b) of this title against a State or a political subdivision
      of a State in a district court of the United States on or before
      April 18, 1973, the running of the statutory periods of
      limitation shall be deemed suspended during the period beginning
      with the commencement of any such action and ending one hundred
      and eighty days after the effective date of the Fair Labor
      Standards Amendments of 1974, except that such suspension shall
      not be applicable if in such action judgment has been entered for
      the defendant on the grounds other than State immunity from
      Federal jurisdiction.



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