Under what conditions is attendance to lectures counted as hours worked?

Attendance to lectures is counted as hours worked when the lectures contribute to productive work. This means that the educational sessions are directly related to the skills, knowledge, or competencies that enhance an employee's performance in their role. In this context, lectures serve not just as passive learning opportunities but as active development that ultimately benefits the organization.

When employees receive training or attend seminars that are pertinent to their job functions or career growth, it is viewed as part of their overall work duties. This ensures that the time invested in learning is recognized as valuable and essential to both the employee's professional growth and the organization's success.

In contrast, while compulsory attendance may suggest an obligation to participate, it does not alone justify that the time is productive work unless it also directly ties back to enhancing job-related skills. The alignment of attendance with normal working hours may ensure logistical feasibility but does not inherently make it counted as hours worked. Similarly, if attendance occurs during breaks, that time is typically not considered work hours as it may not contribute to productive job functions.