Our cram school organizes workshops every two months which all instructors must attend. Workshops are always held on weekends, not on workdays, and are held outside the office for about two hours. However, the cram school does not give any compensation for the lecturers’ attendance at workshops. Is it legal not to pay any compensation for the time of the workshop according to Korean law?

Under the Labor Standards Act, work hours mean “the time spent by workers under the direction and supervision of their employers that is necessary for the relevant work.” Here, whether or not the worker was under the direction and supervision of the employer is judged based on the contents of the labor contract, the definition of the employment rules, and the activity’s relevance to work.
It is difficult to give an exact answer due to the fact that the specific circumstances are unknown. However, if the participation in workshops was required for the purpose of improving job abilities and was carried out under the instruction of the employer and also if failing to attend could cause certain disadvantages, the time of the workshop can be considered as work hours. In addition, if the workshop is held after the contractual working hours, an overtime or holiday work allowance should be paid.