“Why am I not paid for mandatory pre-shift meetings and online training at home?”
Client K worked at a large retail store. The company forced all employees to attend a “morning huddle” 15 minutes before their official shift started to discuss daily goals. Additionally, employees were required to complete mandatory “online job training” modules from their personal computers at home every month. The company excluded all of this time from their timecards, claiming they weren’t “actually working on the floor.” These unpaid minutes quickly added up to dozens of stolen hours.
Song Law Firm’s Legal Analysis: Mandatory Tasks Are Compensable Work Time.
Employers often use “training” or “meetings” as an excuse to avoid paying wages. However, under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), attendance at lectures, meetings, and training programs is only unpaid if all four of the following criteria are met: 1) it is outside normal hours, 2) it is strictly voluntary, 3) it is not job-related, and 4) no other productive work is performed.
Song Law Firm used internal emails and company memos to prove that the morning huddles and online training were mandatory and essential to Client K’s job. Therefore, this was legally Compensable Time.
The Result: Recognition of Hidden Hours and Overtime Recovery
We dismantled the company’s illegal practice of shaving time off the clock.
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Result 1: All previously unpaid morning meetings and at-home training hours were retroactively added to Client K’s work hours.
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Result 2: Because these added hours pushed the weekly total over 40 hours, we recovered the full amount at the 1.5x Overtime Rate.
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Result 3: The company was forced to change its policies to ensure all future mandatory meetings and training are paid.
Work done off the schedule is still your time. Song Law Firm uncovers every hidden minute and ensures you get paid for it.
[Contact Us]
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KakaoTalk Channel: Song Law Firm
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Phone: 201-461-0031
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Email: mail@songlawfirm.com
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Website: www.songlawfirm.com
Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This content is based on general legal scenarios and past successes, and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult with an attorney regarding your specific situation.
