I must finish training before my first shift: is that time paid?

No single answer for every course

Acas explains that payment for mandatory training depends on the employment terms, while minimum-wage rules can require payment where otherwise pay falls below the applicable minimum. The written particulars should explain required training and whether the employer pays for it. Do not assume every optional qualification or every mandatory session is paid at a particular overtime rate.

Identify required work time

Save the instruction saying the course is required, its deadline and whether it must be done outside a shift. Record actual time spent on modules, assessments or a required meeting accurately. Separate optional study from what the employer directs. Ask how the time is reported, whether it is already included in scheduled hours and which payment period it belongs to.

Check time and course costs separately

Keep the contract, training terms, pay rate and any fee request. Ask who pays the course charge and what happens if you leave, as a separate question from payment for attendance. A wage calculation needs the applicable hours and pay items, not just the advertised hourly rate. Do not double-count training hours already included in the normal shift.

Raise a focused pay query

Give payroll the training dates, recorded duration, written instruction and disputed payment period. Ask it to explain the contractual and minimum-wage treatment. If unresolved, seek Acas or specialist advice with the records. Keep attending instructions and a disagreement about pay as separate decisions; this article cannot guarantee the consequence of refusing required training or calculate the amount owed.

Example: a mandatory module before a first shift

Hypothetical illustration: after employment starts, a required online module must be completed at home outside scheduled shifts. Record actual training time separately from breaks and save the instruction. Ask: “What contractual pay applies, and how did you include the required training time in the applicable minimum-wage assessment?” The two questions are separate: the contract can affect additional pay, but it does not decide which time statutory minimum-wage rules require counting. Use the actual pay-reference period, not automatically one week.

Next steps if unresolved

If the employer does not answer or the calculation remains unclear, take the written instruction, time records, contract and pay slip to Acas or an employment specialist. Ask specifically whether the training time is working time under the contract and whether the resulting pay falls below the minimum wage. Do not stop attending required training solely because of a pay dispute without first checking the contract and taking advice.

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