Code of Federal Regulations Title 29. Labor § 29.783.16 “Wage”

“Wage” paid to an employee is defined in section 3(m) of the Act to include “the reasonable cost, as determined by the Secretary of Labor, to the employer of furnishing such employee with board, lodging, or other facilities, if such board, lodging, or other facilities are customarily furnished by such employer to his employees:  Provided, That the cost of board, lodging, or other facilities shall not be included as a part of the wage paid to any employee to the extent it is excluded therefrom under the terms of a bona fide collective bargaining agreement applicable to the particular employee:  Provided further, That the Secretary is authorized to determine the fair value of such board, lodging, or other facilities for defined classes of employees and in defined areas, based on average cost to the employer or to groups of employers similarly situated, or average value to groups of employees, or other appropriate measure of fair value. Such evaluations, where applicable and pertinent, shall be used in lieu of actual measure of cost in determining the wage paid to any employee”. Although there is some incidental discussion in this part of this definition and its impact, a fuller discussion of its meaning and the regulations pertaining thereto are set forth in part 531 of this chapter.