Can an employer ask an employee why they cannot attend a training course that is outside of the employee’s working schedule? (Days off) If so, is “personal reasons” sufficient enough?
Rita Risser Chai replies:
As long as they are going to pay you (if you are an hourly employee), they can require you to attend the training. “Personal reasons” is not good enough, just as it is not good enough on a regular day of work. You would have to have some kind of legally allowable excuse such as having to care for a disabled dependent, unable to work on the Sabbath, or something similar. Sorry. I believe I speak for all trainers everywhere that we hate it when employees are forced to go to training on their days off.
Posted 12-06-2016
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