Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the general rule is that an employer must pay an employee for all hours worked. This includes all time an employee must be on duty, must be on the employer’s premises, or must be at any other prescribed place of work.
If an employer requires an employee to attend a job-related training (either in-person or online), the employer must compensate the employee for that training time. This is also true for meetings, lectures, or company events if the employee’s attendance is mandatory.
Training time might be unpaid if:
- Attendance is voluntary;
- The training program takes place outside of normal work hours;
- The training program is not job related; and
- The employee does not perform any other work at the same time.
For example, if your employer required you to complete online training, even if you complete the training at home on your couch, because the training was mandatory, the employer is required to compensate you for the time you spent completing the training.
In addition to this federal requirement, states may impose their own additional requirements regarding training time.
Are you an employee who has been required to attend work related training or meetings without being compensated for that time? If so, you may be entitled to recover unpaid wages from a past or current employer. Remember, there are time limits within which actions must be brought—don’t miss your chance to recover wages you’ve already earned.
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ADVERTISING ONLY: The information on this blog is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
Past results obtained by Biller & Kimble, LLC are no guarantee of future results. Each case or matter is different and must be judged on its own merits.