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Fewer than three in five Oregon shops pay employees for training

The Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries says time spent in meetings or trainings is typically paid time

Gladstone, Ore.—A recent Northwest Automotive Trades Association (NATA) survey of Oregon mechanical shops found that fewer than three in five said they paid employees for their time during training.

The Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries says time spent in meetings or trainings is typically paid time. When an employer requires employee attendance, the time must be counted as hours worked, even though employees may not be performing their usual duties.

Only when all of the following criteria are met may time spent in meetings or trainings be excluded from compensable hours worked:

• Attendance is outside of the employee’s regular working hours
• Attendance is voluntary
• The training, lecture, or meeting is not directly related to the employee’s job
• The employee does not perform any productive work during such attendance

Time employees spend on their own initiative attending an independent school, college, or independent trade school after hours is not considered hours worked for an employer, even if the courses are related to the employee’s job.

Additionally, time spent in training outside regular working hours at specialized or follow-up training which is required for certification of employees by any law or ordinance does not constitute compensable hours of work, even if all or part of the cost of training is borne by the employer.

One additional note: Employers can offer a different wage for training as long as it meets or exceeds minimum wage.

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