Company not paying for mandatory inservices

Hi! I work for a large long-term care corporation as a charge nurse. They recently moved all of their inservice training from classroom based to computers. I think it's a great idea! However, they expect us to take time from our shifts on the unit to complete the required modules. I barely have enough time to take breaks, let alone spend 30 minutes to 1 hour doing the necessary requirements for these inservices. They are encouraging staff to complete them at home - without pay. They are not approving any time for employees to come in on days off or make other arrangements for the completion of the modules.

Is anyone aware of any labor laws of some sort that make this illegal? I'm trying not to be p*ssy about this, but I give them enough of my free time by frequently not taking breaks. (We get in trouble if we file a time exception slip.)
my company does the same thing, but they call it "non-mandatory" in-service, but still expect us to know the material. So, in effect, it's mandatory without pay. I'm not sure if it's legal or not, but I would think if you're on the clock, it should be paid.

Quote from PM_Nursemy company does the same thing, but they call it "non-mandatory" in-service, but still expect us to know the material. So, in effect, it's mandatory without pay. I'm not sure if it's legal or not, but I would think if you're on the clock, it should be paid.

My PRN job started doing the same thing last year when they switched to online inservices. The used to be live on site and they would pay us, but I was kind of relived when they switched to online as its about a 25 mile trip for me and 1 hour barely pays the gas. But now its getting old doing these every month as there are usually about 3 of them and they are 45-60 min. each. I usually don't get them done until the last minute and they always send me "reminders" when the deadline is coming up as they want to be recognized as 100% compliance and they threaten you can't work your shift if not completed. Only good thing is they count as CEU's I believe, but I have plenty of them now and hear that the Board of Nursing does'nt even check that you have yours anymore except for random audits.

I worked for a company that started doing something similar to this; however they were doing this in ADDITION to still having a mandatory inservice; also, I believe they were letting people come in to work extra time on the clock, just to get these things done. But for the most part, we were expected to work on them on our own time.

Quote from erinp88 (We get in trouble if we file a time exception slip.)

I think this is the trend, cutting back is hip and cool in the corporate world. We all suffer who haven't a union!

This is demeaning and inappropriate. If they are mandatory, the facility needs to make the appropriate accomodations. Stuff and nonsense - call your local labor board for a ruling.

Thanks everyone for the input! Like I said, I'm going to ride it out and if I get time/paid to do them - great! I don't understand why more of the staff isn't questioning it. It's proposed as such a positive 'spin off' that people are being blinded by it. I added up all the modules and it's 12+ hours to complete all of them. That's $300 in pay for me!

Quote from erinp88Thanks everyone for the input! Like I said, I'm going to ride it out and if I get time/paid to do them - great! I don't understand why more of the staff isn't questioning it. It's proposed as such a positive 'spin off' that people are being blinded by it. I added up all the modules and it's 12+ hours to complete all of them. That's $300 in pay for me!

If they require you to do it, they are required to pay you for it. That simple. My prn job, the boss keeps trying to get me to do the online ed stuff at home. I will not do it. I do it at work when I am able, and since it's prn, I work when it's busy there. I have toddled along doing a few here and there for over a year. She knows she can not force the issue, so she hasn't.

There is a lot of this going around. I just received an email stating I must report to the office to complete "inservices and quizzes" by Tuesday. There is no mention of pay for the time and the agency just paid me one week late, I am crossing my fingers that the paycheck even clears the bank. I attended a 4 hour inservice at a private duty agency and was told by HR that I would be paid an hourly rate for the time. Over a month later, I have received no pay. These companies obviously have financial problems and are trying to stay in business by having you do work for free. In most states, pay is required for orientation and inservices.

I understand how it could be illegal to not pay an employee for a mandatory inservice. However, at my facility it turns into a patient safety issue to have staff called off the floor while on duty, for a "half hour" mandatory inservice (especially when in reality it turns into 45 minutes off the floor). Staff are told to "bring their lunch," the expectation being to get the inservice done during your "break" which then isn't really a break, so how is THAT legal? I understand administrators need to meet their goals, but there must be a better way.