As a non-profit paying employees hourly wages, am I required to pay staff for training and events outside of work hours?

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As a non-profit paying employees hourly wages, am I required to pay staff for training and events outside of work hours?

We are a non-profit organization working towards out 501c3 and I would like to require my employees who are paid hourly to attend a few of the events that we schedule throughout the year. My board member wanted me to check with a lawyer to see what the state law is. As a new non-profit money is tight so here we are.

Asked on June 21, 2012 under Employment Labor Law, Idaho

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 11 years ago | Contributor

Unfortunately, if you require your staff to attend these events, you have to pay them for their time--anything required by an employer, for the employer's benefit, is considered "work." If they are salaried staff, of course, you would not have to pay them extra for attending events; and as for hourly staff, like those you write about, if attendence is not mandatory, then you would not have to pay the staff if they choose to go (even if you elected to pay any admissions or cover charge). Also note, as long as you provide notice of the following in advance you may do it: employers may set different wages for different aspects of a job, and it would be legal to pay hourly staff at minimum wage (rather than their normal rate) for their time at these events--again, so long as you provide notice of that to the staff prior to their going.


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