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Sunday, January 24, 2016

A Viewer Writes: Labor Question

I have what may be a dumb question, but I would really like to know the answer. Can a business (large corporation, multiple locations/states) call a "mandatory meeting" or "mandatory training" and not pay employees to attend?

Thank you for any insight you can provide.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

At face value, given the facts presented, the answer is yes. Of course, if more facts were presented, and the logic behind the resentment shown, there might be some factors altering the obvious.

Anonymous said...

Actually, I thought that courts recently decided the answer is "no." Employees must be paid for mandatory meetings.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
Actually, I thought that courts recently decided the answer is "no." Employees must be paid for mandatory meetings.

January 19, 2016 at 11:23 PM

I think you are correct. I seem to remember a recent lawsuit verdict regarding that.

Anonymous said...

What a totally worthless reply

Anonymous said...

Bottom line is don't go, lose your job, become unemployed. You showed them, didn't you?

Anonymous said...

If you are salaried, yes. Hourly must be paid.

Anonymous said...

I think this is a very legitimate question. Sometimes these "mandatory" meetings are called on days off, in another town quite a distance away, etc. IMHO, pay should be given. Some of these companies think they own a person, 24/7. Time off, should be exactly that, not go to a mandatory meeting.

Anonymous said...

According to Maryland Labor board directly from their site: All of the time an employer requires an employee to be at work is compensable time, whether or not the employee is officially "on the clock". This includes time driving in the employer's truck from worksite to worksite during the day. It also includes time driving from the shop to the work site at the beginning of the day and returning to the shop at the end of the day, if the employer requires the employee to report to and return to the shop. So to answer your question YES that MANDATORY MEETING is WORK and they MUST pay you for it!!!!

Anonymous said...

Having a hard time deciding how slow the train of thought is moving here, as absolutely no particulars are included in the question.
Big difference between training and meeting.
New OSHA regulations? Show of hands for St. Patty's Day lunch menu?
My initial reaction is to agree w/ 4:21 AM.

Anonymous said...

If you are paid salary it is at the discretion of the company. If you are hourly wage then yes they have to pay you. If this is not a regular issue then why not attend and show loyalty to your employer.

Most don't work every second of every day. Kinda like taking time to read this Blog while at work. Taking the forty minute deuce. 1.5 hour lunch from time to time. Picking up the kids on company time. etc. etc. Sometimes it is just to roll with the flow.

Anonymous said...

So is Chipotle saying you will not get paid for you being present to watch the broadcast meeting on Feb. 8th?

Anonymous said...

I suggest you stop creating problems for yourself. Do you like having a job?

When a company has training it is to get everyone on the same page. Do you feel that you dont need the training? Do you feel superior to the other people their? Maybe you have been with the company for a long time and you feel you dont need to go but, what if they want you knowledge base there to help explain things or add to the general conversation? Or maybe you are young and stupid and think you know everything you need to know already.

You sound like a me first person and a trouble maker. The company should fire you immediately.

Any more stupid questions. BTW did you bother asking your employer or do you want to test the waters here? Sounds like most people think you are an idiot.

Anonymous said...

Actually, 11:00PM, you are lucky to have a job in this trouble economic times, I would suck it up and go to your training, being grateful the whole time you're not collecting unemployment.

Anonymous said...

"Consider yourself lucky to have a job" and "suck it up and don't complain" is exactly why labor laws are needed, because the employer will take advantage of the employee's fear of losing their job.

Anonymous said...

10:02 it's a employers' time now with everyone looking for jobs. As for taking advantage, if the training teaches new skills to the worker, then the worker should take advantage of the free education. You're living in yesteryear if you think it's not an employer weighed job market out there. Too few jobs and a glut of people looking for jobs.

Anonymous said...

Yes they can. Is it "legal"? Depends. If they are unionized employees, absolutely not. It is always spelled out in the contract.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
What a totally worthless reply

January 20, 2016 at 4:04 AM

Then why did you make it?

On a more serious note, most of the mindsets I see in these comments is let the employer do whatever they want to me as long as I can continue to be a servant to them and take whatever they offer.

While it's nice to have a job and be able to provide for yourself and your family, dignity and self-respect are important too. But that seems to be lacking so my comment will probably fall on deaf and subservient ears. Enjoy your day.

Anonymous said...

To the questioner: Why don't you just show up and find out whether you get paid, or not? Better yet, don't show up, and find out if they can fire you for missing mandatory meetings and training. Not all states are "Right-to-work" states, and employees can be discharged with no reason given. To quote an old Eastwood line "...are you feeling lucky today?"

Do you like your job? If the answer is yes, then show up for the mandatory meeting, whether they pay you, or not. If you want to make an issue out of the payment for that time, while at the same time you are making a decent living from the job, then you would be a fool for making an issue out of it.

LastMohican said...

if the employer cared about their employees they would pay them. they are taking them away from their families and their usual time off. and after the meeting or training they will hopefully have better and more productive employees, so they are profiting from those meetings. a lot of people don't know their worth and will accept anything as long as they can keep their 'job'. never thinking it may be their career.