Gabriel Alvarez Essay

The Ninth Circuit believed that because respondents’ donning and doffing is an vital and necessary preliminary activity included by respondents’ principal work activity, all activities performed afterward such as walking accordingly occur during the ‘principal’ workday and is compensable. The court rejected the petitioner’s argument that Section 4(a)(1) of the Portal Act makes clear that the walking time at issue is not compensable even if it follows clothes changing. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the employees of IBP, Inc. because putting on protective gear and walking to and from changing areas are â€Å"integral and indispensable† to the job’s â€Å"principal activities†. ISSUE(S) The issues presented to the Supreme Court for determination were whether the time spent walking between donning and doffing areas and workstations, and the time spent waiting to put on protective equipment were compensable under the FLSA as amended by the Portal-to-Portal Act. The Supreme Court held that time spent walking following putting on protective equipment and prior to removing protective equipment was compensable under the FLSA as amended by the Portal-to-Portal Act REASON(S) The Court held that any activity that â€Å"is ‘integral and indispensable’ to a ‘principal activity’ is itself a ‘principal activity’ under section 4(a)(1) of the Portal-to-Portal Act.