When must a company pay an hourly employee travel pay?

Travel during the workday is paid at the employee’s hourly rate. Travel outside of normal work hours must be paid, but the employer may pay this at a rate as low as minimum wage. All hours spent traveling are counted as hours worked for purposes of computing overtime. If air travel is required, you must pay them (subtracting their usual commute time) from the time they leave their house until they reach their destination, or until they no longer perform work (e.g., they have checked into the hotel). If they are free to do what they choose — sightsee, etc. — your obligation to pay ends. If they go straight to the conference, you continue to pay.