Security Screening

If you require employees to undergo security checks or screenings, the time spent doing so may be considered hours worked and need to be paid.

The California Supreme Court held that under California law, time employees spend in mandatory security screenings counts as “hours worked” and must be paid because employees are subject to the control of employers during such time.¹

In that case, the employer required retail store workers to undergo security searches when they left work with a bag, purse, backpack, briefcase or one of the employer's products. The searches were done after employees clocked out for the day and could take 5 to 15