Montana Code 39-3-201. Definitions
39-3-201. Definitions. The following are the definitions used for the purpose of this part:
Terms Used In Montana Code 39-3-201
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
(1)”Commissioner of labor” refers to the director, commissioner, or chief of the department of labor and industry, as the department is defined by law, or any person or persons designated by the director, commissioner, or chief for the purpose of this part.
(2)”Department” means the department of labor and industry as provided for in 2-15-1701.
(3)”Employ” means to permit or suffer to work.
(4)”Employee” includes any person who works for another for hire, except that the term does not include a person who is an independent contractor.
(5)”Employer” includes any individual, partnership, association, corporation, business trust, legal representative, or organized group of persons acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation to an employee but does not include the United States.
(6)(a) “Wages” includes any money due an employee from the employer or employers, whether to be paid by the hour, day, week, semimonthly, monthly, or yearly, and includes bonus, piecework, and all tips and gratuities that are covered by section 3402(k) and service charges that are covered by section 3401 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended and applicable on January 1, 1983, received by employees for services rendered by them to patrons of premises or businesses licensed to provide food, beverage, or lodging.
(b)For the purposes of this subsection (6), “service charge” means an arbitrary fixed charge added to the customer’s bill by an employer in lieu of a tip. It is collected by the employer and must be distributed directly to the nonmanagement employee preparing or serving the food or beverage or to any other employee involved in related services, pursuant to a tip pool agreement.