Human Resources Policies

When non-exempt personnel are required by the College to travel and/or attend training sessions or conferences for business-related purposes, they will be paid as outlined in this policy and as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Non-exempt personnel are those who complete time sheets.

Overnight Travel

When a non-exempt employee is required to travel overnight for College business, only travel time that occurs during the employee's normal working hours, and during corresponding hours on non-working days is compensable. (Example: 8:30am - 4:30pm) Time spent traveling from the employee's home to the work location outside of typical working hours is not considered paid time.

In addition, all time spent performing authorized College-related work at the destination will be compensated based on actual hours worked. Meal periods and sleeping time are excluded as paid time.

One-day Travel

If a non-exempt employee is required to work away from the College for a day, and no overnight stay is involved, the employee will be paid for all hours spent in travel and at work at the destination. Meal periods are excluded as paid time.

Attendance at Training Sessions or Conferences

When a non-exempt employee attends a business-related training session or conference, the individual will be paid per day for the actual hours spent in training or attending work-related conference sessions. Meal time is normally not included as paid time; meal time is paid only if the meal is served at the employee's conference seat. Employees will not receive pay for optional training/conference events, such as receptions and social activities.

If a training session is held in Lancaster, there is no payment made for travel time to and from the session. However, if travel away from Lancaster is required, the relevant section above (Overnight Travel or One-day Travel) applies.

Time spent in training is unpaid only if all of the following criteria are met:

1. 1. The training session is held outside the employee's normal working hours.

   2. Attendance at training is voluntary.

   3. The training session is not related to the employee's job.

   4. The employee does not perform any College-related work during the training session.

For travel and training, the pay rate shall be the employee's normal hourly rate. Paid travel time and paid time spent at a training session/conference shall count as hours worked when calculating eligibility for overtime pay.

All business-related travel and attendance at seminars/conferences must be approved in advance by the employee's supervisor.

Please see the Business Expense Policy for information regarding reimbursement of travel-related expenses.

On-campus Professional Development Sessions

Generally, professional staff will receive their normal base wages when participating in on-campus professional development activities. Time spent in on-campus professional development activities should be recorded as hours worked on time sheets. However, time spent at workshops, meetings, or events held during non-working hours, at which attendance is entirely voluntary, is generally without pay.

"Common Hour" and Professional Staff Luncheon Meetings-- Attending Common Hour or a luncheon meeting for professional staff should not have an impact on the pay of a full-time, non-exempt member of the professional staff. The staff member should record his/her standard number of work / paid hours on the time sheet for that day. The Common Hour or luncheon meeting will be considered the lunch break for staff who choose to attend, even if the event lasts longer than a typical lunch break. Again, the staff member should record his/her standard number of work hours for the day on the time sheet with no loss or gain of pay based on attending the event. However, if a non-exempt staff member is required to work additional hours to make-up for "lost time" while attending a College event, that additional work time must be recorded on the time sheet.

Non-exempt, part-time employees who attend Common Hour events during their normal work hours will receive pay for time spent at the event. However, those who attend on an entirely voluntary basis, outside what would normally have been their work hours for the day, will not receive pay for attendance at the event.

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Policy Maintained by: Human Resources, Associate Vice President
Last Reviewed: July 25, 2016