Factory training - should I be paid for for my time?

I'm an apprentice tech at a Chevy dealership. They have had me take a
bunch of on-line classes that I do after hours. It was implied that I
would get paid for this time. I have completed all of the on-line
training and now they want to send me to Phoenix for 2 days for my
final hands on-diesel training. They have told me that I wont get
paid for this time.

Is it up to each dealership to decide whether or not they pay for on-
line and hands-on training, or is there a standard GM policy on this?

In article
>,
Don C > wrote:

> I'm an apprentice tech at a Chevy dealership. They have had me take a
> bunch of on-line classes that I do after hours. It was implied that I
> would get paid for this time. I have completed all of the on-line
> training and now they want to send me to Phoenix for 2 days for my
> final hands on-diesel training. They have told me that I wont get
> paid for this time.
>
> Is it up to each dealership to decide whether or not they pay for on-
> line and hands-on training, or is there a standard GM policy on this?

I always got paid when I attended training at the GM training center.
Many times, I got a used car to use for transportation to and from.

OTOH, when I worked for the natural gas utility in Milwaukee, I had to
use a vacation day if I wanted to take any training that conflicted with
my work hours.

I doubt that it's up to GM whether your employer pay you for training,
state law may say otherwise though.

Don C > wrote in news:0d979ed6-5307-4ff4-8da3-
:

> I'm an apprentice tech at a Chevy dealership. They have had me take a
> bunch of on-line classes that I do after hours. It was implied that I
> would get paid for this time. I have completed all of the on-line
> training and now they want to send me to Phoenix for 2 days for my
> final hands on-diesel training. They have told me that I wont get
> paid for this time.
>
> Is it up to each dealership to decide whether or not they pay for on-
> line and hands-on training, or is there a standard GM policy on this?
>


Hmm. Bad sign here. You're looking at this as having to work for no pay.
You're not a real professional, then.

Let's investigate further: Assuming you're 25 and will work until 65,
working only 8 hour days the whole time, 50 paid weeks a year, you will
work 80,000 hours in your life.

You are being asked to give up 16 of those hours for no pay, or 0.02% of
your lifetime total. How much more are those "bunch of on-line classes"
eating up?

Me, I'd be seeing this as a golden opportunity to make myself more saleable
for more money to prospective employers, even to your current employer. GM
is throwing at you information that may be nearly impossible to come by
once you're on the outside looking in.

Information is priceless. It, plus work ethic, is what makes a worker worth
more than his fellows. Those 16 "free" hours will pay for themselves many
times over, provided you have the right attitude.

--
Tegger

Tegger wrote:
> Don C > wrote in news:0d979ed6-5307-4ff4-8da3-
> :
>
>
>>I'm an apprentice tech at a Chevy dealership. They have had me take a
>>bunch of on-line classes that I do after hours. It was implied that I
>>would get paid for this time. I have completed all of the on-line
>>training and now they want to send me to Phoenix for 2 days for my
>>final hands on-diesel training. They have told me that I wont get
>>paid for this time.
>>
>>Is it up to each dealership to decide whether or not they pay for on-
>>line and hands-on training, or is there a standard GM policy on this?
>>
>
>
>
> Hmm. Bad sign here. You're looking at this as having to work for no pay.
> You're not a real professional, then.
>
> Let's investigate further: Assuming you're 25 and will work until 65,
> working only 8 hour days the whole time, 50 paid weeks a year, you will
> work 80,000 hours in your life.
>
> You are being asked to give up 16 of those hours for no pay, or 0.02% of
> your lifetime total. How much more are those "bunch of on-line classes"
> eating up?
>
> Me, I'd be seeing this as a golden opportunity to make myself more saleable
> for more money to prospective employers, even to your current employer. GM
> is throwing at you information that may be nearly impossible to come by
> once you're on the outside looking in.
>
> Information is priceless. It, plus work ethic, is what makes a worker worth
> more than his fellows. Those 16 "free" hours will pay for themselves many
> times over, provided you have the right attitude.
>

I agree, but as an apprentice he may need those 16 hours to pay the
rent. It'd be one thing if it were a weekend but I would assume that
these are weekdays that he won't be getting paid for working at the
dealership.

Maybe I'm out of touch, but that is a sign to me that this dealership is
unconvinced that the OP is worth the investment. Whether that means
that the OP has given the dealership reason to doubt him or if that
means that the dealership is cheap and sees techs as replaceable I have
no idea, but I don't think that this is a sign of a good
employee/employer relationship.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Thanks for the responses so far. I totally understand the value of
training and that I will need to continue for the rest of my career.
I'm just wanting to make sure I am being treated fairly, because the
dealership seems to keep changing its position on this. Its odd that
they just don't seem to have a "policy". On-line no, hands-on yes.
It seems to take weeks to get an answer. Doing the on-line after
hours training on my own time makes sense that I don't get paid for
that. But it also makes sense that if I'm required to take two work-
days off for the hands-on at a GM facility, that they should cover
that. The GM said, "that's what you have a credit card for"...

On May 6, 10:02*pm, Steve B. > wrote:
> On Tue, 6 May 2008 20:49:33 -0700 (PDT), Don C >
> wrote:
>
> >Thanks for the responses so far. *I totally understand the value of
> >training and that I will need to continue for the rest of my career.
> >I'm just wanting to make sure I am being treated fairly, because the
> >dealership seems to keep changing its position on this. Its odd that
> >they just don't seem to have a "policy". *On-line no, hands-on yes.
> >It seems to take weeks to get an answer. *Doing the on-line after
> >hours training on my own time makes sense that I don't get paid for
> >that. *But it also makes sense that if I'm required to take two work-
> >days off for the hands-on at a GM facility, that they should cover
> >that. *The GM said, "that's what you have a credit card for"...
>
> I agree with you 100% (and then comes the big but)
>
> In my opinion you are not being treated fairly BUT some other
> dealership might not give you any training at all and just leave you
> in the pit changing oil for the next two years. *If you **** this
> dealership off you will also find yourself either out of a job or
> changing oil all day.
>
> At this time you aren't at a point where you want to "make waves".
> Soak up everything they are willing to teach you so that you become a
> valuable asset for them then make your waves. *You seem to have your
> **** together and I expect you will have a very bright future wherever
> you end up.
>
> * * * * * * * Steve B.

In most every aspect I have been treated well. I am working my
apprenticeship under the top dealer tech, and one of the highest rated
in the region. I spent all day working with him, which in itself is
great training. He and I are the only ones that work on diesel. When
a Corvette goes in, they always come to us. I guess what I need to
find out is if they pay the other techs. If no one gets paid for on-
line, then that's ok. But if some do and some don't, well, then
that's an issue. But it certainly seems that the hands-on should be
paid since that is during the work week.
Thanks

"Don C" > wrote in message news:bd7eaf90-953f-4c09-8f8b-

In most every aspect I have been treated well. I am working my
apprenticeship under the top dealer tech, and one of the highest rated
in the region. I spent all day working with him, which in itself is
great training. He and I are the only ones that work on diesel. When
a Corvette goes in, they always come to us. I guess what I need to
find out is if they pay the other techs. If no one gets paid for on-
line, then that's ok. But if some do and some don't, well, then
that's an issue. But it certainly seems that the hands-on should be
paid since that is during the work week.
Thanks

The companies I have worked for over the past many years generally dedicated
themselves to continued training for their employees, and it was paid time
as if
it were regular on the job hours. It is a basic part of the ISO
certifications that
I have been involved with.

I dont know that there is any law that covers this obligatory, but
uncompensated,
time. I feel that it is a rather shoddy way to treat an employee that a
company
would hope to develop and keep.

Still, quality training is a blessing. If I could afford it, I would go
with it, learn all
I could, and keep my options open.

the more reputable dealer will pay the tech for school and i was paid for the
hotel
and food when i had to go out of state and they even gave me a car
when i went to i state training i was given gas money plus a full days flat rate
pay at 8 hours
dealers are now finding techs are hard to come by get another job at another
dealer

Nate Nagel wrote:

> Tegger wrote:
> > Don C > wrote in news:0d979ed6-5307-4ff4-8da3-
> > :
> >
> >
> >>I'm an apprentice tech at a Chevy dealership. They have had me take a
> >>bunch of on-line classes that I do after hours. It was implied that I
> >>would get paid for this time. I have completed all of the on-line
> >>training and now they want to send me to Phoenix for 2 days for my
> >>final hands on-diesel training. They have told me that I wont get
> >>paid for this time.
> >>
> >>Is it up to each dealership to decide whether or not they pay for on-
> >>line and hands-on training, or is there a standard GM policy on this?
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > Hmm. Bad sign here. You're looking at this as having to work for no pay.
> > You're not a real professional, then.
> >
> > Let's investigate further: Assuming you're 25 and will work until 65,
> > working only 8 hour days the whole time, 50 paid weeks a year, you will
> > work 80,000 hours in your life.
> >
> > You are being asked to give up 16 of those hours for no pay, or 0.02% of
> > your lifetime total. How much more are those "bunch of on-line classes"
> > eating up?
> >
> > Me, I'd be seeing this as a golden opportunity to make myself more saleable
> > for more money to prospective employers, even to your current employer. GM
> > is throwing at you information that may be nearly impossible to come by
> > once you're on the outside looking in.
> >
> > Information is priceless. It, plus work ethic, is what makes a worker worth
> > more than his fellows. Those 16 "free" hours will pay for themselves many
> > times over, provided you have the right attitude.
> >
>
> I agree, but as an apprentice he may need those 16 hours to pay the
> rent. It'd be one thing if it were a weekend but I would assume that
> these are weekdays that he won't be getting paid for working at the
> dealership.
>
> Maybe I'm out of touch, but that is a sign to me that this dealership is
> unconvinced that the OP is worth the investment. Whether that means
> that the OP has given the dealership reason to doubt him or if that
> means that the dealership is cheap and sees techs as replaceable I have
> no idea, but I don't think that this is a sign of a good
> employee/employer relationship.
>
> nate
>
> --
> replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
> http://members.cox.net/njnagel