[Sample] Q&A: Do caregivers have to be paid for travel time between clients?

Sample article for testing the newsroom layout. The agencies, people and figures below are fictional.

Travel time is one of the most common wage complaints in home care. These answers describe a typical set of rules for illustration. Check your own state and federal guidance before changing payroll.

Is travel between two clients on the same day paid time?

In most cases, yes. Time spent driving from one client to the next during a workday is usually treated as work time.

What about the drive from home to the first client?

Normal commuting is usually not paid. The exception is when the first visit is unusually far from where the caregiver normally works.

Do we also owe mileage?

Mileage reimbursement is a separate question from paid time. Many agencies pay both: hourly wages for the drive and a per-mile rate for the car.

How should we track it?

Use your scheduling app's GPS or visit timestamps. The gap between clock-out at one client and clock-in at the next is the easiest number to defend.

What is the most common mistake?

Paying a flat travel stipend that works out to less than the minimum wage for the actual hours driven. Check the math on your longest routes first.