I have to take business trips for my job. Should I be paid for this time?

Sometimes. The rules governing business trips for hourly employees are somewhat complicated:

*    If you are given a special one day assignment in another city and return the same day, the travel time is compensable except that the employer may deduct that time the employee would normally spend commuting to the regular work site.

*    If you are required to make an overnight trip, then the time you spend traveling during your normal work day is compensable.  Also, time spent in transit on non-work days during your normal hours is also paid time.

*    Example: your normal work week is 9-5 Monday through Friday.
Your boss requires you to travel to Denver to heckle Peyton Manning.  You leave Sunday at noon and return Monday at noon.  You should be paid for all time spent traveling from 12 to 5 on Sunday and 9 to 12 on Monday.

For more info, see www.dol.gov