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Well okay then how about my example of travel time to and from work every day? 5:01pm is not a normal work time for me, why should I not get comped for that time as well?
What about sales or client service people who work on salary/commission who travel extensively, often times during off hours and weekends? Are you really going to try and grant them PTO time every time they travel off hours?
You really don't understand the difference between the normal work day and an abnormal work day? That's what you are arguing, that there's no difference between normal work day and a special event work day.
So if you believe that, then why not go into work on Sunday and work all day for no pay. What's the difference between traveling for work and working for work?
my example of travel time to and from work every day?
Seems like you never had a job that involved lots of contract travel. Travel time is nearly always paid, as it is "work." Your daily commute is excluded, as you are not working. Flying IS work. We know this because most companies have travel rates built right into the contracts. Meantime, you can always move next door to your work place. Why should you earn more for choosing to live far away? So by custom, if not law, daily commutes are excluded.
But travel FOR WORK - if it is obligatory - is normally paid. For hourly folks, it's hourly pay, and OT if it's on top of the other 40. Sunday is usually the END of the pay week, though, so the comp day is earlier in the week. For instance, when I know I'm flying on Sunday, I often take Friday off - but it never comes out of my PTO, because I clock in Sunday when I leave for the airport.
Far more unusual would be the employer that expects his employees to do ANYTHING work-related as a condition of their job (like travel) and not compensate them somehow, comp. day being most common. I do not think it's petty for the employee to ask. I'd ask too.
Now, we don't have alot of info from the OP here. Is this a Fun-n-Sun type thing, a huge perk of its own, a deal where the employee, by luck or influence, or relation, got to take an all-expenses paid FUN TIME, at the company's expense? Then it's a bit of a selfish bit asking for a comp day.
If it's a mandatory and regular thing - say, for required training - then it's not "great time" and no one else WANTS to go - then it's OK to ask.
If flying on Sunday was due to a choice - to earn more free relax time, for instance - then it would still come out in the wash, right? Because you'd be taking Monday off, and that would require PTO. So you'd get paid for Sunday. But not Monday.
When I was traveling for work a lot, if I had to be there on a Monday I left on Friday night so I could take advantage of the location I was visiting.
I was salary, got Per Diem for the days I traveled and they paid for the flights, hotel, and rental car, and let me make the arrangements so I could use whatever carrier/hotel/brands I wanted.
I did not get comp time, nor would I ask for it, because they allowed me to travel in style and enjoy "vacation time" while I was working.
I don't mind adding some details. I see these as a networking, development, and educational opportunity related to our profession. It is not an all expense paid vacation but does have opportunities for some downtime and fun. But that fun is networking events after hours. There are educational seminars, rountables, focus groups, a tradeshow, etc.
There is usually not much happening on Sunday's - maybe an evening opening reception thing from 6-8 or some other networking event. The standard events start the next morning (Monday). If someone comes in on Monday afternoon, they would miss whatever is happening (e.g. educational presentation, keynote, etc.). I am talking specifically about professional conferences, very different from required offsite meetings/retreats.
Attending a conference is NOT required. It is more of a benefit.
You really don't understand the difference between the normal work day and an abnormal work day? That's what you are arguing, that there's no difference between normal work day and a special event work day.
So if you believe that, then why not go into work on Sunday and work all day for no pay. What's the difference between traveling for work and working for work?
I've traveled for conferences and meetings here and there for the better part of my 30 years working and have never, ever even considered asking for extra time to compensate for travel. I don't know what an "abnormal" work day is my friend, if you're required to be some place for work then you take the time to get there, period. Just like if I work an hour later one evening I'm not going to demand someone pay for my time because I agreed to be an exempt employee in the first place.
And I've worked nights and weekends before, never once have I asked/demanded time to compensate me. It comes with being a salaried worker. If I was an hourly employee traveling to some conference then yes, I'd ask for compensation for my time as that's how it works on an hourly gig.
Often times these get togethers also have dinners with colleagues too. Are you going to ask for that time back as well? Where does it end?
This isn't McDonald's and you're not on the clock. Maybe you're used to that kind of set up; however, I have always been salaried since I graduated college.
There is usually not much happening on Sunday's - maybe an evening opening reception thing from 6-8 or some other networking event. The standard events start the next morning (Monday). If someone comes in on Monday afternoon, they would miss whatever is happening (e.g. educational presentation, keynote, etc.). I am talking specifically about professional conferences, very different from required offsite meetings/retreats.
Attending a conference is NOT required. It is more of a benefit.
I don't expect a "comp day" for this scenario. If traveling on a Sunday is a hardship, the employee should ask to travel early on Monday, or just not go to the conference.
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Originally Posted by Florida2014
But how would that work if the conference starts very early on Monday a.m. and someone is flying cross country? It would not be possible for them to fly in Monday before 8am to make the conference on time. They don't really have a choice necessarily.
In our case it's only two hours, and the conference always started with a dinner and cocktails Monday evening, so not an issue. I can tell you that in our case yes, if it started at 8-9am Monday we would pay the non-exempt people for the travel time, but not me or other exempt people. We are paid for the body of work performed, not for the hours.
I've traveled for conferences and meetings here and there for the better part of my 30 years working and have never, ever even considered asking for extra time to compensate for travel. I don't know what an "abnormal" work day is my friend, if you're required to be some place for work then you take the time to get there, period. Just like if I work an hour later one evening I'm not going to demand someone pay for my time because I agreed to be an exempt employee in the first place.
And I've worked nights and weekends before, never once have I asked/demanded time to compensate me. It comes with being a salaried worker. If I was an hourly employee traveling to some conference then yes, I'd ask for compensation for my time as that's how it works on an hourly gig.
Often times these get togethers also have dinners with colleagues too. Are you going to ask for that time back as well? Where does it end?
This isn't McDonald's and you're not on the clock. Maybe you're used to that kind of set up; however, I have always been salaried since I graduated college.
Scenario is an exempt employee (i.e. salaried) goes to a conference. They fly out on a Sunday. There are a couple of things happening on that Sunday (opening reception and such) but nothing that is required, they just get there to be settled and ready for the events that start on Monday.
Then the employee goes to their manager and asks if they are able to take a "comp day" (day off without using the time accrued in their Time Off bank) since they travelled for work on that Sunday.
Is that legit? Should the employee get a comp day for that Sunday? Is your opinion different if the employee is non-exempt?
No. Exempts employees just do what they have to do.
If they are all that worried about comp days they are really not a good fit for an exempt job. But most people aren't.
Also worth noting that all your expenses are taken care of on those trips - food, transportation, lodging, etc. so it's not like you come out behind. If you're done with meetings and are back in your hotel room that meal is covered by the company. Which is again another reason I would never ask for comp time due to work travel.
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