I was assigned mandatory training for a recent promotion. It consisted of an 8ish hour class that had to be taken around my regular work schedule – my industry works a rotating schedule so we have days off during the week but also have to work some weekends.
I asked my Gen X supervisor if I would have additional pay added. His response was to say “you’re a salaried employee” and kind of shrug.
At the actual class of 30+ people, most of whom were millennials mixed with a few elder Gen Z (if there is such a thing), the group I was in got into a discussion about how unfair it was that we had a full day of class on what should have been our day off and also how the person teaching the class was getting paid to do it.
One woman made an excellent point – this class fell on a day that was essentially our weekend, but if we worked regular 9-5 M-F jobs they would have found a way to make it happen during a scheduled shift since they likely wouldn’t be paying an instructor to work on a Saturday.
I don’t hate my current job but I call shenanigans on this unpaid training and the people at the top – all Gen X or boomers – condoning it.
The problem is we all showed up for it, so I guess we’re perpetuating the problem.