Are inductions supposed to be paid or unpaid?

OrbitHeadache

I applied for a production operative job via an agency, agency registered me and invited me to an induction at the warehouse which I attended yesterday, the induction involved watching health and safety videos, doing maths tests and being shown around the warehouse. The induction lasted 4 hours. I start work on Monday.

The agency said the induction is unpaid and I should see it as part of the interview process. I did not ask the actual company yesterday because the agency rep was there and I did not want to cause any issues.

So is the agency legally correct to say induction would be unpaid?

KatrinaWaves

If you were doing tests and things it would appear to be part of an interview. You passed it, so you will start work.

Don't burn your bridges over 4 hours of questionable 'work'

Masomnia

I agree with KW that it is not worth complaining about 4 hours and you're better staying on good terms.

But I would say that if you are on minimum wage it's almost certainly illegal, and if you're paid more than that possibly a breach of contract.

General_Grant

OrbitHeadache said:

I applied for a production operative job via an agency, agency registered me and invited me to an induction at the warehouse which I attended yesterday, the induction involved watching health and safety videos, doing maths tests and being shown around the warehouse. The induction lasted 4 hours. I start work on Monday.

The agency said the induction is unpaid and I should see it as part of the interview process. I did not ask the actual company yesterday because the agency rep was there and I did not want to cause any issues.

So is the agency legally correct to say induction would be unpaid?

You start work on Monday and pay starts then.  
It seems the company were making sure you were capable of doing the work and actually it sounds as though they were checking that the agency were going to place someone competent enough.  I don't think the agency would charge their client for your time, just as they don't charge for putting forward someone for a face-to-face office interview.