Over half a million new jobs have come onto the job market in the past year. With so many new job opportunities, it means that thousands of Americans are beginning a new career journey, and wIth every new job comes training.
Hollis Law Firm is a Kansas City law firm offering clients the help of our trusted employment lawyer on matters involving pay issues at the workplace. If you have started a new job, it is crucial that you know whether your employer has to pay you for training in Kansas City.
Should You Be Paid for Training in Kansas City?
The training process of any new job can be tedious. In addition to being an overwhelming process, it can be stressful not knowing whether or not you will be compensated for your time during the training process. Unfortunately, whether or not you should be paid for training depends on the company you are working for. The following criteria laid out by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hours Division can be used to determine whether you should be compensated for training at work.
Reasons You Should Not Be Paid for Training
If your employer is not paying you for training, then the training activities should follow the following criteria:
- The training activities are outside of the employee’s regular working hours
- Attendance at the training event or activity is voluntary
- The training course is not directly related to the employee’s job
- The employee does not perform any work during the training session
Reasons You Should Be Paid for Training
If your employer chooses to compensate you for training, it may be for the following reasons:
- If attendance at a training activity is required and that their absence may adversely affect their employment status
- Most employers will choose to pay employees as not to face repercussions for withholding wages due to employees
If you believe that you have had wages illegally withheld by your employer after partaking in training, you should contact an experienced Kansas City employment lawyer as soon as possible to get help with your claim.
What Damages Can You Collect from an Unpaid Wages Claim?
If you have been underpaid or not paid at all for hours spent in training, you may be eligible to receive financial compensation for your losses in the form of damages. The damages you may be eligible to receive include:
- Lost or unpaid wages
- Unpaid benefits
- Emotional distress
If you are unsure of what damages you may be eligible to collect, a knowledgeable employment lawyer may be able to help by going over the details of your claim.
Get Help from a Kansas City Employment Lawyer
If you believe you have had wages withheld from you after participating in training, you may be owed financial compensation. To get help with your unpaid wages claim, get help by contacting a Kansas City employment lawyer as soon as possible.
Hollis Law Firm is a Kansas City Law Firm with an experienced employment lawyer who has the knowledge and skills to help clients pursue the compensation they are owed. Our firm is proud to provide clients with the award-winning and trusted representation they deserve. To schedule a free consultation, fill out our online contact form or call (800) 701-3672.
