Many Florida workers attend meetings before or after their regular shifts. These meetings often involve training, company updates or scheduling.
Some employers expect workers to attend but never include that time on the paycheck. Under Florida law, that time may count as unpaid wages.
Know when meeting attendance is payable
Florida follows the Fair Labor Standards Act, which states that employers must pay workers for the time they spend doing job-related tasks. If a meeting is mandatory, the time counts as hours worked. The employer must pay for that time, even if the worker clocks out before or after the meeting.
Voluntary meetings may not count. If a worker does not need to attend, and the meeting does not affect their job or pay, then the employer may not need to pay. Once attendance becomes expected or required, though, workers should receive wages for that time.
Gather proof of unpaid meetings
To show that an employer failed to pay for meeting time, you should collect any possible evidence. This may include:
- Work schedules showing the meeting times
- Texts, emails or memos that mention the meetings
- Pay stubs that show no payment for the added hours
- Notes that list the dates and times of each unpaid meeting
- Witness statements from coworkers who also attended
Even if you do not have timecards, the law allows workers to estimate their unpaid hours. Keeping detailed records helps support those claims.
Understand what back pay includes
If your employer fails to pay for multiple meetings over time, you may recover the wages owed. Florida law also allows workers to seek additional damages equal to the unpaid amount. This means the worker may receive double the original wages. In some cases, an employer must also cover interest or other penalties.
You must file wage claims within a set period of time. In Florida, the time limit to recover unpaid wages is often two years. For cases where the employer knowingly refused to pay, that time may extend to three years. By gathering strong records of your unpaid meetings, you place yourself in a better position to recover what you earned.