Do I have to pay employees for undertaking duties that cannot be completed during their normal work day?
If an employer requests that an employee be present at the workplace, then the employee should be paid. For example:
- Mandatory attendance at a meeting held before the work day begins or after it ends
- Staying past the scheduled end of the shift to close business for the day (cleaning, cashing out, etc.)
- Attendance at training requested by the employer.
It is not unreasonable however for an employer to request an employee to be on the work premises 15 minutes early to confirm they are ready for their shift. If an employee commences work in those 15 minutes, they must be paid for the time worked.