Q: Does my employer have to pay me wage for time spent training for the job?

A: The short answer is "yes," you generally should be paid for training and I believe you might have a strong claim to assert. Whether you are a tipped employee may determine the wage due. Contact an attorney in the St. Louis area to discuss representation in going after your employer for violating federal and state wage laws. Most attorneys who practice in this area of law take these cases on a contingency (percentage-of-recovery) basis, so you won't have to pay by the hour. In addition to the minimum wage statute, you may also be able to pursue recovery for the unpaid overtime.

Here are relevant portions of Missouri's statutes:

"No employer shall employ any of his employees for a workweek longer than forty hours unless such employee receives compensation for his employment in excess of the hours above specified at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate at which he is employed."

"Any employer who pays any employee less wages than the wages to which the employee is entitled under or by virtue of sections 290.500 to 290.530 shall be liable to the employee affected for the full amount of the wage rate and an additional amount equal to twice the unpaid wages as liquidated damages, less any amount actually paid to the employee by the employer and for costs and such reasonable attorney fees as may be allowed by the court or jury. The employee may bring any legal action necessary to collect the claim. Any agreement between the employee and the employer to work for less than the wage rate shall be no defense to the action."