531.31—“Customarily” furnished.
The reasonable cost of board, lodging, or other facilities may be considered as part of the wage paid an employee only where “customarily” furnished to the employee. Where such facilities are “furnished” to the employee, it will be considered a sufficient satisfaction of this requirement if the facilities are furnished regularly by the employer to his employees or if the same or similar facilities are customarily furnished by other employees engaged in the same or similar trade, business, or occupation in the same or similar communities. See Walling v. Alaska Pacific Consolidated Mining Co., 152 F. (2d) 812 (C.A. 9), cert. denied, 327 U.S. 803; Southern Pacific Co. v. Joint Council (C.A. 9) 7 W.H. Cases 536. Facilities furnished in violation of any Federal, State, or local law, ordinance or prohibition will not be considered facilities “customarily” furnished.