Can my employer force me to pay money for a course they consider mandatory?
I work at a bar/restaurant in SC, and they want their employees to take a course that is not a statewide mandatory liquor service course. The restaurant/bar is mandating that we take it, and requiring that we pay a $25 fee for the coursebook, all of this on a day off. Is this legal? If they consider a course mandatory (in my layman's estimation), they should front the cost of the materials. Help!
Answers:
Yes, they can...most good employers, at minimum, would pay the $25 fee or offer reimburesment and really great employers would pay you for the day you will spend in course; however, they are not required to do so.
You have the choice of taking it or not continuing your employment with them. As one of the above posters indicated, invest in yourself, take the course and put it on your resume; however, I would also go the extra step and look for a new job that values its employees more, unless where you are at pays well or the tips are above average.
I have known of people in similar situations look up business productivity articles on the net that support employers investing in their employers and the difference between companies productivity where the employees feel valued and part of the team and those where they just feel like it are oppressed, unvalued working stiff grunts and persuaded management to change their mind, but you have to approach it from a professional business standpoint and not take it personally or get an attitude if they say there is nothing they can do or it isn't in the budget at this time.
Pay for it and put it on your resume.
They cannot force you to do it, but they can make your continued employment conditioned upon completing the class. As to paying for it, many companies would, but think of it like medical school, law school or engineering school. A class that establishes your basis qualifications for the job (as defined by the company) is not going to be paid for by the company. Their policy only becomes a problem if it violates an existing contract or if it takes you below the minimum wage.
They have to either pay for the course, reimburse you for payment of the course, pay you your normal pay while taking the course or a combination.
Talk to your boss respectfully and tell him your view. If this doesn't work seek help else where like the labor office at City Hall or OSHA.
Only if you agreed to take the class before you entered their employ.
Join a union. Your employee can not fire you for not taking the course, but if you don't take the course, plan on having your hours cut. If you like the job, take the course and keep every receipt, even that cup of Coffey. If your employeer dosent reimburse you, you can write a portion of it off during tax season.
It's kind of like the same boat as
Teachers required to keep their state certifications or
CENAs, LPNs, RNs, MDs, MAs, etc (medical professions)
They are all required to take courses that are a lot more expensive, and often are required to pay annual licensing fees and continue education. There is no law that I'm aware of that requires a company to pay for an employee to maintain certifications.
Their reasoning is this: most higher level positions require a bachelor's degree or higher, and the employer is not required to reimburse an employee for maintaining qualifications or meeting certain requiremments (as far as tuition reimbursement). So, I hate to break it to you. I don't see that a $25 fee is too much to ask. And most employers expect that you will do this on your own company time.
it all depends on what type of papers you signed during and after your interview process. ask them to see if you signed anything to that effect
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