Required Meetings, no pay.

[CuriousMatt]

I've worked at my job for almost a year and we've had meetings every month, the meetings last about an hour and we are told that we cannot clock in for it however when we don't show up for it we get in trouble because it is a required meeting.

Is this legal? What can I do?

 

[cbg]

You have two separate issues here.

First issue:

If you are exempt, you have no legal expectation of being paid a single penny over and above your regular salary, EVER under ANY circumstances.

If you are non-exempt, you must be paid for all the time you are required to be at work. "Clocking in" is not required. Paying you is. If they pay you without having you clock in, that's legal. If they require that you be there and don't pay you, that's not and you can file a complaint with the state DOL.

Second issue:

Regardless of whether you are exempt or non-exempt, and regardless of whether they've said you won't be paid for the time or not, you can be fired for not showing up for a mandatory meeting. If you show up, are owed pay for it, and are not paid, you have legal recourse. If you fail to show up for a mandatory meeting because you think you won't get paid and you are fired for it, that is LEGAL on the part of the employer.