IL Definition as to what work benefits employer?

[Deacon88]

As far as I know there is a law somewhere that says that any work you do at your place of employment that benefits the employer must be paid for, which applies to the situation below.

I'm a part time worker at a movie theatre, and I work Projection there occasionally and we have the option to come in and screen movies (It's completely optional, if that makes a difference). Normally we are paid for the duration of the movie since we are responsible for starting the movie/fixing any problems (Be it major or minor) and then making sure the print of the movie winds up at the correct auditorium within the theatre.

Now they said they will not pay us to screen movies. But if I'm right with the above statement at the top then watching the movie and finding any problems with it is benefitting the employer yet we're not being compensated for this, any opinions on this?

[Beth3]

Since screening movies is entirely optional and unless there are any problems, you're just there seeing a film for free. Let's see what Patty (the comp expert) advises but I don't see that the time spent watching the movie must be paid - just any time you actually spend fixing any problems.

[Pattymd]

Yeah, I have to agree with Beth.