I’m not being paid for training or meetings — is that allowed?
Published July 13, 2026
The short answer
Often it should be paid. As a broad principle, time you’re required to spend on training, orientation, or meetings that mainly benefit your employer is usually treated as working time. Some voluntary training may be treated differently, and the details vary by state and circumstance, so it isn’t always clear-cut.
If required training or meetings aren’t being paid, keep a record of that time yourself so the unpaid hours are clear.
What you can do
- 1
Log each training or meeting
Date, how long it lasted, and whether you were required to attend.
- 2
Keep what shows it was required
Save invites, schedules, sign-in sheets, or messages telling you to attend.
- 3
Note whether it was paid
Compare the time against your pay stub to see if it was counted.
- 4
Ask in writing how that time is paid
A written question about training and meeting pay creates a dated record.
- 5
Check the rules for training time
Whether particular training counts as paid can vary — see dol.gov or your state labor department.
Where the exact rules matter: the specifics — figures, thresholds, deadlines, and which rules apply — vary by state and by your situation. Check them with the U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov) or your state labor department rather than relying on a number from anywhere else.
In plain terms
- Compensable time
- Time that counts toward your pay. Required training and meetings are often compensable.
- Mandatory vs voluntary
- Whether you’re required to attend matters. Required, employer-benefiting time is usually paid.
- Orientation
- Onboarding at the start of a job, which is commonly treated as paid working time.
Where rippedoffworker comes in
The guide tells you what to do — the app does it with you.
rippedoffworker helps you log the hours, pay, and treatment as they happen and builds a dated record over time — so what your hours came to against what you were paid, as your own estimate, and the pattern behind it are organized in one place, ready to take to the people who can help.
rippedoffworker is a record-keeping tool, not a law firm, and does not give legal advice. Any amounts are arithmetic on the figures you entered — apparent, not a guaranteed or legally determined amount.