If you have been employed in a job which requires quite a lot of training before the real job starts, you may be wondering whether you will get paid. This is bit of a tricky question as the answer really depends on the situation. Generally, if the training is compulsory and part of the job, even if it is training that is something that occurs before any other work, then it should be paid by the employer. Voluntary training or learning experiences that you choose to take because you think you will do a better job are probably not paid and would probably not take place in normal work hours.
Training can be as time-consuming as normal work. If you think you should get paid, get some advice from an employment lawyer who can also help you negotiate with your employer if your employer thinks that they can get away with not paying for your valuable time.
Are You Required to be Paid For Training?
Employers need trained staff. It helps them when they provide training before a job starts or at any point after starting a new job when a training course is mandatory. As long as the training is part of the job and is in normal job hours, then the employer would be expected to pay you for every hour that you are training.
Depending on the nature of the job, training may also involve being away from home. You could be expected to attend training sessions over a weekend, or for several days and nights well away from your normal job location. Again, as long as this is part of the job and is not something that you can opt out of if you wanted to, it should be paid time.
What To Do If You Are Not Paid For Training
If you are applying for jobs and training is specifically mentioned, it is certainly worthwhile finding out if the training period is paid for. It is better to ask before accepting a job than worrying about it after accepting the job, then finding out that you are not sure whether you are going to get paid.
If you do start a new job and are then asked to do some training, you should expect that this time would be paid for. If you find that your first pay check is unpaid for the training time, then ask politely about the time unpaid. It is quite possible that there has been an oversight and an administrative error has been made which can easily be fixed. You have more of a problem if you discover that the missing payment was deliberate. You will have to make a choice if you decide to confront the employer or even decide to file a lawsuit against them.
You may lose your job unless you have been working for them for a long time. You must decide whether working for an employer who is basically cheating you out of the earnings you deserve is worthwhile. If not, then the law is more likely to be on your side and you should consider taking legal action against the employer.
If you do decide to take legal action, you must have evidence that you actually did do the training, that it was assumed to be part of a normal workload, that it wasn’t voluntary and you didn’t get paid for it, making it wage theft. Keep a record of any work and training that you have done at work and what you have been paid or it, if anything. You will also need to have documentation showing the job description and contract if there was one.
Speak With An Attorney
Filing a claim against an employer is not easy. You will need to know whether it is worth doing and have a plan in case everything goes pear-shaped. The best advice is to take your complaint to an employment lawyer with experience in unpaid training time. The lawyer will be able to tell you whether you have a wage theft case to make and help you with negotiating with your employer.
