Any type of training that an employee is required to attend as part of his or her job is referred to as mandatory training. Mandatory training in many areas must be paid in accordance with the employee’s regular salary or hourly wage, because otherwise, employers may use mandatory training to obtain free labor. When this training is not compensated, a worker must decide whether the job is worth the lost time and the risk that an employer will continue to exploit a worker’s need for the job. Employers who are able to work around rules that would otherwise force them to pay for training should be avoided at all costs.
Almost every profession necessitates some form of training to ensure that all employees are capable of performing their job duties and adhering to company policies. Some training programs are longer than others, lasting several days while others are only an hour long. Employees may also go through a training period during which training is incorporated into the workday and the employee is supervised and assisted while on the job. This training should always be paid, regardless of the method, because it is essentially work performed for the company.
Important work responsibilities are usually covered in training. Frequently, this is information that the company so desperately wants an employee to know that it is willing to pay employees to learn it. This can include information about safety, but it also includes information about the company’s policies.
Mandatory training, by definition, is required as part of a job. Other types of training are highly recommended but not required, or may be available only to interested employees who want to improve their value to the company. Regardless of whether training is explicitly required, a person who is fired for refusing to attend unpaid training in an area where mandatory training must be paid may be able to sue the company.
There are some instances where a worker may be required to participate in mandatory training without being compensated, but these instances should be carefully considered. To avoid paying their employees for attending mandatory meetings and training, some companies refer to them as contractors or freelancers. In many freelance positions, for example, the worker is required to train in the company’s program without compensation as a condition of being hired. When the job is particularly appealing, the dubious nature of the training may be overlooked. An employer who seeks free labor from employees is untrustworthy, and working for someone who is untrustworthy is always problematic.