here's a work question...

[hulagirl87]

Ok, I'm not sure this is just my thinking or not, so please give me your opinions....

This past Wednesday the store that I work at had a meeting. It was for all employees, so they closed the store for 2 hours in the morning and then we reopened for business right after that. Normally when we have meetings, we meet by department, but this is the first whole store meeting that we have had. When we opened for business we weren't sure how to punch in for the day because I assusmed we would get paid for the meeting. When we have our department meetings we get paid so why wouldn't we get paid for the store meeting. But our general manager said we were not getting paid for this meeting. I don't understand that at all. If it was time that was taken away from my regular shift (regular work hours) and it was a work sponsered event, shouldn't we get paid? I was confused... any opinions?

 

[aprilgail2]

That is wrong, if you want me to go to any kind of meeting or anything to do with work you are going to have to pay me for it!

 

[jbmom]

Yes, you should be paid for the meeting.

 

[NMAmy]

Yep--if it is a required meeting, you should be paid for your time.

 

[salmoneous]

That is very, very wrong. You should get paid for a mandatory work meeting.

 

[bicker]

Your general manager was mistaken. (It is, however, up to you with regard to whether or not you'll tell him that! )

 

[kristen821]

are you in a union? I know daycare workers have manditory unpaid hours for seminars they need to put in every year without pay. If you are in a union I would ask how that should work.

 

[dmslush]

Yes, if you were required to go to the meeting, you have to be paid for it. You should have been clocked in at the start of the meeting.

 

[bicker]

Here's the official answer to your question:

29 CFR 785.27 - General.

Attendance at lectures, meetings, training programs and similar activities need not be counted as working time if the following four criteria are met:
(a) Attendance is outside of the employee's regular working hours;
(b) Attendance is in fact voluntary;
(c) The course, lecture, or meeting is not directly related to the employee's job; and
(d) The employee does not perform any productive work during such attendance.

 

[Sherri]

Ok, I'm not sure this is just my thinking or not, so please give me your opinions....

This past Wednesday the store that I work at had a meeting. It was for all employees, so they closed the store for 2 hours in the morning and then we reopened for business right after that. Normally when we have meetings, we meet by department, but this is the first whole store meeting that we have had. When we opened for business we weren't sure how to punch in for the day because I assusmed we would get paid for the meeting. When we have our department meetings we get paid so why wouldn't we get paid for the store meeting. But our general manager said we were not getting paid for this meeting. I don't understand that at all. If it was time that was taken away from my regular shift (regular work hours) and it was a work sponsered event, shouldn't we get paid? I was confused... any opinions?

You most certainly should get paid if the meeting was mandatory. If the meeting was optional then maybe not. Anything mandatory you must get paid for.

 

[Swimnoid]

Heck yeah!... We have meetings like that which are "mandatory" (but we have to say whether or not we are coming ). They involve the entire staff and they feed us and its more like a party but we get paid for it.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Did you clock in prior or ask to clock in? What did they say? I would expect to be paid.