Donovan, Secretary of Labor v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority et al.

Opinion summary

Etalia.ai summary of the majority opinion

The case addressed whether the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) applied to employees of a municipal transit authority. The San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority argued that they were exempt from FLSA requirements under the Tenth Amendment, which reserves powers not delegated to the federal government for states and localities. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Donovan, Secretary of Labor, determining that Congress had the authority under the Commerce Clause to regulate wages and hours for public sector employees engaged in traditional governmental functions like mass transit operations. This decision overturned previous rulings suggesting such activities were immune from federal regulation due to their 'traditional' nature.