Travel time paid for?

**OMD-227** · 03-26-2010, 09:45 PM

I think you will find that most people here will agree with me that if you are going to a training course, and have to leave early (with all your accomodation, travel costs, meals etc etc most likely all taken care of for you), then you should be gracious, thankful you are even going to a training course and grab that opportunity with both hands..........and just go.

I remember working for 10 years in a regional area, about 200Kms from the nearest capital city where the training courses were held. When the opportunity came up to go on training, of course I left on the sunday night to be there first thing monday. Look at it as an opportunity to get away from home, as an adventure, and just suck it up that you are not being paid for your travel. You are going on a training course! Make the most of it! You should be extremely thankful that you are even going, as I know that alot of guys dont even get the opportunity to attend one.

If your travel or accomodation costs are not being paid for by your company, then yes, by all means get some $$ for all that, but if this is like any training course I have ever seen or been to, make the most of it and just go!

Sorry about being upfront about this subject, but it doesnt make any difference if you are hourly or salary....... you are going on a training course!!
Asking if you should be paid for your travel when going to a training course seems very cheap to me. What you will get out of this training course, what you will do and see, will far outweigh any travel costs you want to claim for your time. It doesnt matter if you lived in a different freakin' state...... you should be very thankful for the opportunity given to you. Go and learn something, bring that knowledge back to your fellow techs at work and enjoy the new surroundings and opportunities.

My 0.02.

**KEVIN900** · 03-27-2010, 12:04 AM

Wazza's right. These schools do cost your company $$$. They are investing in you. You wouldn't want to give the impression that they are about to invest in a complainer, do you ? Although a deal with your manager, say an early afternoon off, or some kind of reward for a very high score in the class may help you to focus on the prize. The schools are generally easy. They do not want to fail anyone. Enjoy the break from work, make some new temporary friends, meet some fellow techs from around the country. Don't louse things up over a few hours pay.

**Mr Spock** · 03-27-2010, 02:03 AM

Originally posted by KEVIN900

Don't louse things up over a few hours pay.

I will play devils advocate....
I have gone on long distance (here is the plan ticket it leaves on Sunday at noon) training and I had a deal with the manager. Either OT or some hours off when I returned. He agreed when he saw I put in most of the online pre-class work on my own time and did not ask for OT for that. Now when they schedule you to fly out make sure to double the expected travel time.....
2hr flight leaves at 13:30 and lands at 15:30 and a 30 minute cab/shuttle to the hotel.. yeah right!!
I arrived at 12:45 to airport security check point
Got to the gate at 13:20 planes leaves at 21:00 lands at 23:00
now the shuttle is only running on the hour so by the time I check in it is 1:20am
and the shuttle to the training center leaves at 7:15 in the morning.....
and the plane ride home was even worse...
Thank you Delta...

**sdrawkcab** · 03-27-2010, 02:34 AM

Mr Spock

Why not go to the Transporter chamber and Scotty could beam you there.

Why use these archaic Aeroplane things.

**cobiray** · 03-27-2010, 03:41 AM

Thanks for the replies. I can see both sides, but I did leave out a factor that may change the game. I understand the company is making an investment and it costs money, but is my time less valuable because of that? A few weeks ago one of the other guys went to a training course that was going to be a 4 day class, Tuesday to Friday. He was allowed to leave on work time (around 12 or so) and was in essence paid for the travel time to get there. I feel I'm really only asking to play by the same set of rules as everyone else.

**totoro** · 03-27-2010, 05:57 AM

I live about 4 hrs from where my company does training. Training is usually Monday to Friday so I leave home on Sunday to go to the hotel. I get paid for my travel time there. Training is usually over by Friday around noon so I can get home around the end of day. I usually do all my preschool prereqs on my own time, but I can get paid for it if I feel the need to. Anything I need to do for work I am supposed to be paid for and I have never gotten an argument about it. My home life time is very important to me and it should be to the boss.

**fixthecopier** · 03-27-2010, 01:02 PM

This training thing just came up again. The company is pushing the Ricoh training and was hoping that the techs would do it at home on their own time, but nobody would. So the company let the others start taking the courses in the shop. All but me, as I have tried to stay out of the shop. On Thursday my manager said she had volunteered me for something new. We are taking on a line of postage meters and large folding machines that also stuff envelopes. I have to go to Columbia S.C., on Monday for a week class. I will have to leave on Monday at 6 Am, and drive on my time. If it runs into Friday, well that is a paid holiday I will be missing. The travel time does not matter, the holiday I would be comped for. I am happy to be training on something different, I think it makes me more valuable to the company, and this is going down the week before they do evaluations and raises. An hour here or there does not matter to me, it all works out in the end. I have singed out 2 hours early to go to the doctor and got paid for it. When I worked for a factory, I counted everything, because that is the way the bosses were. Now , not so much. I am driving the company car with company gas card, boss gets me a nice room, and $25 a day to eat. Not too bad.

**blackcat4866** · 03-27-2010, 01:24 PM

I have to agree with most of the previous posts. The training makes you a more valuable employee and costs the company a lot. After 10 years at a major Canon copier distributor which we shall not name, in which their idea of training was "Well at least you know what one looks like. You're trained." I am delighted to have a chance to attend class. And the few hours of inconvenience involved in the travel are hardly worth making a fuss over. It's like a mini vacation really. It's a 10 minute commute to the hotel, instead of the usual 4 hours on the road commuting and 2 - 4 hours more driving to and from calls.

I still cannot understand the attendees that think that this is a great opportunity to party into the wee hours of the morning, then stumble into class looking more dead than alive. Not only are these people functioning at far less than 100%, but they are representing their dealership very poorly. Do you think that these people are in any condition to learn anything? I don't.

OK, I'm done ranting. =^..^=

**10871087** · 03-30-2010, 12:56 AM

Originally posted by cobiray

I've got a question about getting paid for travel time not during a normal work day or outside of working hours. Should it be paid for in an hourly wage situation?

I'm scheduled to go out for some training soon and the class runs from a Monday at 8am until Friday at 5pm. In order to be at the class on Monday at 8am I need to leave Sunday evening to get to the hotel and get registered, etc. I'm questioning whether or not that Sunday travel time should be paid for as I am still hourly. Seems to me the travel time should be paid for or otherwise comp'd. Thoughts, suggestions & recommendations?

We do not pay an houry wage for Sunday travel to a Mon-Fri school but you should recieve Per-Diem for the day prorated to the time you would need to start your travel. Example: if you had a 1pm flight on Sunday you should get Per-Diem for Lunch and dinner.

**Tom** · 04-06-2010, 11:11 PM

I have to agree with wazza on this one. I know you want to be compensated for your time, but I'm telling you from experience the people who go the extra mile without complaining are usually the ones who get the raises. Of course, as we all know, some companies are so cheap, nobody ever gets raiss for anything. You can usually tell by the way they treat their customers. If they continually try to screw them over, they will do it to you too. If this is the case, get all the training & experience you can. It will help when you apply at the better company down the road.

Travel time paid for?

Travel time paid for?

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