Say What? No Pay for Travel Time?
Reader Question:
I have a question about getting paid while on a training trip out of the state for work.
I have agreed to attend a training session in Houston, TX at the end of this month. I am an hourly employee so I am unclear about how I am going to be paid. According to my controller, I will not get paid for anything outside my "normal" workday, Monday-Friday 9-6pm, nor will I get Overtime pay for travel.
However, I am leaving on Sunday afternoon to fly there and not returning until late Wednesday night. I understand not getting paid for my meal times and time in the hotel after the training day is complete but I think I should be paid for my time on Sunday for travel, as well as my Overtime on Wednesday for my travel back. Are there any clear rules that define how an hourly employee? Is there anything I can do to get paid for my time?
Is this hourly employee entitled to pay for her travel time? Please respond in "comments" or email me.
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Comments
I’ve never been paid for travel time… Those are the lumps.
Anyway it’s something that the writer should have negotiated/asked about before agreeing to attend the training, not something that should be argued for after the fact.
Per FLSA: Travel Away from Home Community: Travel that keeps an employee away from home overnight is travel away from home. Travel away from home is clearly work time when it cuts across the employee’s workday. The time is not only hours worked on regular working days during normal working hours but also during corresponding hours on nonworking days. As an enforcement policy the Division will not consider as work time that time spent in travel away from home outside of regular working hours as a passenger on an airplane, train, boat, bus, or automobile.
You should check with your state wage and hour regulations to see how it compares. Your employer would need to comply with whichever guidelene (state or federal) that is most favorable to you.
If you need assistance intprepreting or need clarification, or have additional questions, feel free to email me at jodis@vccuwi.com.
Thanks everyone. I aslo was able to find in my state Dept of Labor Manuel where it says they have to pay me as well.
Thanks for all the insight. Its been a great help.
What if a person has to drive an hour or so for mandatory training. Training was held in three different states, only California and Utah employees are asking for over time payment for drive time.