Am I entitled to pay for my training hours as a medication aide?

Full question:

My employer sent me to a program over the summer for medication aide. There was class time and I am required to do 40 hours of training with a RN at work then after that is done my teacher comes to check me off and sends certification into the state. Well I started the training at work and the are refusing to pay me for hours I've trained. Is this legal?

  • Category: Employment
  • Date:
  • State: Wisconsin

Answer:

If your training is directly related to your job, you may be entitled to pay. However, if the training is for a different job, you might not be. According to the Department of Labor (DOL), attendance at lectures, meetings, and training is considered working time unless all of the following criteria are met:

  • Attendance is outside of your regular working hours;
  • Attendance is voluntary;
  • The training is not directly related to your job;
  • You do not perform any productive work during the training.

Additionally, the DOL classifies training as voluntary if your employer does not require you to attend and you are not led to believe that your employment would be negatively impacted if you do not attend. These criteria can be complex, so it's important to understand how they apply to your situation. You may also want to contact the Wisconsin Division of Workplace Development for more information. Their office is located at 201 E. Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53703, and you can reach them at.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.

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