Hey everyone, so a little back story. I recently started working for a company and was wondering if anyone on here might be able to answer a question about being paid for the time I spent going to the med express for a mandatory pre employment drug test. I’m in pennsylvania, I had an interview with the company on may 23rd. I ended up receiving an offer letter on June 2nd (a Friday) and was told to print, sign and take it to the office on June 5th (Monday) at 9am which i was told by the HR rep that that would be my first day of orientation.
(The conditions of the offer letter were I provided proof I was eligible to work in the US, I could pass a drug test as well as a background check) no problem so I went in Monday morning at 9am I handed my signed offer letter over and then was taken back for new hire orientation , i proceeded to fill out paperwork for taxes, benefits etc. and also conducted some company mandated safety training for my field of work. At around 12:15pm they told me to leave and go to med express and take my pre employment drug screen as well as dot physical and then after that I was to return to the office to finalize paperwork.
I left at 12:15pm I took my half hour lunch break until 12:45pm then went to med express. I returned around 2:30pm and finished some paperwork and left at 3:45pm. there denying me the 3 hours of pay from 12:45-3:45pm stating they don’t have to pay for my time to go take the drug test since it’s pre employment.
If I understand correctly if they would have sent be for my drug test on a different day and was not required to show up to the office and work then they wouldn’t have to pay me for that time since i wasn’t considered an employee yet and they weren’t requiring me to show up for my first day of work, but since they made me come in for my “first day of orientation” and then had me leave and then also made me come back, would they not have to legally pay me for those 3 hours spent traveling and taking the drug test as well as traveling back to work?
Any help would be appreciated i asked the HR rep and another manager and was told they don’t have to pay that time.