Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Whistleblower]

Hello all,

My brother is thinking of coming to Korea and is looking at some schools. At the moment he is considering YBM in Sungbuk. My question is this: is it a good hagwon? Are they reputable? Is borther likely to enjoy his year at this hagwon? Is the area a good place to live?

Currently I am teaching in Korea so I have some experience but I have been lucky to land myself with a decent job. Anyways, any info. would be great. Thx in advance.

http://ybmecc.co.kr/index.asp?sub1=loca&sub2=2&seq=18

[ttompatz]

[Whistleblower]

Here is their sample contract. Any chance some1 could highlight some areas to improve? Greatly appreciated!

---

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR ECC INSTRUCTORS
This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT has been made this ___________ by and between YBM Si-sa-yong-o-sa Language Inst.; having its office, YBM Education 48-1 Chongno 2ga, Chongno-gu, Seoul, Korea(hereinafter referred to as "employer"); and ________, a citizen of ________ whose current mailing address is ________________________________________________________ _______________________with the contact phone number (______)___________(hereinafter referred to as "employee")
1.0 Employer and employee agree to the following :
Employee accepts employment from employer to work as an English instructor under the terms and conditions set forth here in this agreement for a period of 12 full and consecutive teaching sessions (12 months). Employment commences from the first day of class on __________ and finishes on the last teaching day of the last teaching session covered under this agreement. Employee will be required to arrive 3 to 7 days prior to this start date to undergo orientation and training. Employer will provide temporary accommodation during this period until the regular accommodation is ready.
2.0 Duties
2.1 During the term of this agreement, the employee is required to prepare for, teach, and carry out all required administrative duties connected with classes assigned by the employer such as lesson preparations, student evaluations, teacher meetings, workshops, events such as Halloween and mandatory arrival time. The minimum teaching requirement is 105 actual teaching hours per session and in the case employee receives less than the above listed classes employer shall still pay the listed monthly salary and assign other teaching or administrative duties. Depending on the location the normal teaching days will be Monday through Fridays or Monday through Saturdays except for regularly scheduled public holidays and vacation days. Employee(s) assigned Saturday classes will receive additional compensation listed under section 3.1b
2.2 Total teaching hours in excess of the minimum requirement listed above is calculated each session as overtime payment according to the overtime payment rate listed in section 3.1 and may be required up to a maximum of 5 teaching hours per week.
2.3 Payment made for assigned teaching hours is inclusive of payment for preparation and administrative duties, which includes; preparing evaluations, attending meetings and workshops scheduled by employer.
2.4 At all times during the term of this agreement, employee will directly adhere to and obey all the rules and regulations that have been, or may hereafter be established, by employer for the conduct of employee or generally for the conduct of instructors at the place of employment.
2.5 Mandatory Preparation and Arrival time
During the first 3 months of employment all first-year ECC employee(s) will be required to arrive at least 1 hour before the start of their first class and prepare for lessons at least 2 hours per day. All employee(s) will be required to arrive at least 1 hour before the start of their first class and prepare for lessons at least 1 hour per day or according to the employer's academic standards. Failure to abide the mandatory preparation and arrival time can result in verbal or written warnings being issued to the employee.
3.0 Compensation and Other Treatment of Employee
3.1 Salary : The monthly salary will be 2,000,000 to 2,200,000 Won with 2 payments made within two days after the last teaching session as part of the severance pay. No part of the thirteenth payment will be paid unless the employee completes the full (12-session) one-year contract. Overtime payment is made at the rate of 16,000 to 18,000 Won per 40-min class/prorated for shorter or longer classes. Teaching salary will commence from the first day of teaching. When an employee is absent from scheduled teaching duties salary will be deducted accordingly. Korean income taxes and Korean National Pension Scheme deductions will be withheld. Salary payments will be made on or before the eighth day of the month following the teaching session during which the employment services were provided.
3.1a National Pension Tax Refund : Currently exclusive to employees holding passports from the USA and Canada. Under current Korean tax regulations/tax treaty with the respective countries full time contract employees holding passports from the United States and Canada shall receive the accumulated pension tax payment made each month over the course of employment at YBM ECC plus the equivalent co-payment made by employer directly from the Korean National Pension Tax Office (http://www.npc.or.kr/ Click English link). Employees who hold passports from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa may inquire with their home countries tax office on the current tax treaty bylaws with Korea and means of receiving reimbursement or credit for paying into the Korean pension tax fund.
3.1b Saturday Teaching Bonus Payment : In the event employee is assigned to teach Saturday classes the employee will receive one of the following respective payments in addition to the base salary. 75,000 won per month for teaching 3 to 8 (40 min) Saturday classes per session
100,000 won per month for teaching 9 to 16 (40 min) Saturday classes per session
130,000 won per month for teaching 17 or more (40 min) Saturday classes per session
3.2 Orientation and Training : Shortly after arrival in Korea, employee will be required to undertake orientation and training before commencing teaching. The period of training and orientation will usually be 3 to 6 days. Employee will receive payment of 30,000 Won per each day of training and orientation. Orientation hours less than (6) hrs per day will be prorated. Orientation will be conducted at the YBM Head Office and employee's ECC location.
3.3 Transportation : Employer will provide for employee an economy class ticket for passage to Korea from an international airport mutually agreed to by employer and employee (henceforth referred to as point of departure). The cost of the arrival tickets shall be listed as part of the first month's income and taxed accordingly as per Korean tax laws. Employer is paying for the cost of the air tickets while employee is paying the taxes on the cost of the air tickets. On completion of the full 12-session contract period, employer will provide for the employee an economy class ticket for passage from Korea to point of departure. The return air ticket will be provided at the time of termination of employment. In the event that the employee continues employment under a subsequent employment agreement with employer, the return air ticket will be provided at the time of completion of the subsequent contract period(s). Air tickets provided cannot be exchanged for cash equivalents or transferred to persons other than the employee. Employer does not agree to, and is not liable for, compensation to employee, whether in cash or otherwise, for air tickets not used by employees.
3.4 Relocation Allowance : Employer will pay employee within (10) days of arrival or within (4) days after employee begins teaching duties, 200,000 Won to help defray the cost of settling in Korea.
3.5 Visa Application Fee Subsidy : Employer will pay employee, 50,000 won to subsidize part of the visa application fee.
3.6 Paid Sick Classes : Employee's under the 12-session contract will be entitled to 10 paid sick classes with a medical note from a physician or confirmation/approval by the employer. Classes missed for non-medical reasons or unverifiable medical condition will result in prorated deduction from employee's monthly salary.
3.6b Attendance Bonus : Under the 12-session contract employer will pay employee an attendance bonus for the following levels of attendance
300,000 Won bonus for missing no classes (Medical or non-medical reasons)
200,000 Won bonus for missing 5 or less classes (Medical or non-medical reasons)
100,000 Won bonus for missing 10 or less classes (Medical or non-medical reasons)
3.7 Holidays and Vacation : Employee will be entitled to observe regular annually scheduled public holidays and receive vacation days during the contract term according to a yearly schedule provided by employer before the commencement of the year to which the schedule refers. There are ten (10) vacation days in each calendar year (January - December).
3.8 Medical Insurance : Employee will be covered by medical benefits under the Korean Medical Insurance Union (http://www.nhic.or.kr/ Click English link) a Government Health Organization. The cost of this coverage will be borne half by employer and half by employee. Employee's share of this coverage will be deducted from employee's salary, monthly.
3.9 Accident Compensation : In the event that employee sustains injuries from an accident or mishap which occurs outside the course of normal work duties; employee understands and agrees that employer will have no responsibility for, nor obligation to pay, medical and hospital costs which are in excess of those covered by medical insurance.
4.0 Housing
4.1 Employer will select and provide a single private studio for employee with a kitchen and a bathroom. Furnishings provided by employer for employee will include: A kitchen table/counter and chairs, two-burner gas hotplate, a refrigerator, a telephone, a television, a washing machine, a bed, a dresser/closet/cabinet and an air conditioner. Employee will have to supply his or her own pillow, pillowcase and bed sheets. Employee will not be held responsible for furnishings/items that need repair or replaced due to normal wear and tear. In the case items are damaged through neglect or destruction by employee or his/her visitors then the cost of repair or replacement will be borne solely by the employee. Employee will be responsible for maintaining the accommodation in the same order employee received it under which shall include cleanliness of all living quarters, kitchen, kitchen sink, bathroom and furnishings. In the event employer must hire a cleaning person to restore employee's accommodation the cleaning fee will be deducted from employee's salary or housing deposit.
4.2 Employee(s) is responsible for all maintenance, utility and telephone charges for accommodation provided by employer. Maintenance and utility charges will depend on employee(s) usage.
4.3 Employee agrees to a deduction of 200,000 Won per month from the first three months of employment totaling 600,000 Won as housing management deposit. This deposit is to cover any unpaid monthly service, utility, and telephone charges at the completion of this contract and/or resignation or dismissal of the employee before the termination of this contract. Employer agrees that payment of remaining amounts of the deposit will be made to employee within ten days after all outstanding monthly service, utility, and telephone charges have been paid and confirmed without any remaining balances. Employer shall return the full amount of this deposit at the same time as the last salary & severance payment which shall be made within two days of the last teaching day if another employee co-signs the housing deposit debt guarantor form.
5.0 Dismissals or Voluntary Resignation
5.1 Employer will have the right to dismiss employee for unwillingness or inability to meet conditions of employment as set out under this agreement, for conduct seriously jeopardizing any student or staff person, or for criminal activity.
5.2 In the event that the employee is dismissed, or in the event that the employee voluntarily resigns prior to the termination of the term of this agreement, employer will pay salary due to date of termination. Employer will not pay the cost of return transportation to point of departure for employee. Further, employer will be entitled to withhold an amount less than or equivalent to, but not exceeding, the cost of airfare provided for travel to Korea and other benefits provided to employee. In the case employee gives employer 6 weeks written notice and completes the session as stated in the settlement agreement form prior to resigning then employer shall prorate the cost of the airfare and other benefits received.
6.0 Covenants
6.1 Employee hereby agrees, covenants, and undertakes that he/she will not undertake any teaching duties or employment with any persons or organizations other than the employer. To undertake such employment is a breach of Korean Immigration law and can have serious consequences.
6.2 The employee understands and accepts that the rights to use, sale, distribution, or publication of all original material produced by the employee during the course of employee's employment, and for which the employee is compensated as either regular pay, as overtime, or in an agreed-upon lump sum, remain the sole property of employer.
6.3 Employee agrees to the ECC policies and regulations as posted at www.ybmecc.co.kr
7.0 Jurisdiction
7.1 This agreement will be interpreted according to the internal (domestic) laws of the Republic of Korea. A competent court in the Republic of Korea will have jurisdiction in regard to any dispute or claim arising out of, or in connection with, this agreement.
7.2 Employer and employee have executed this agreement on the date indicated below. Intending to be legally bound to, and in witness of, employer and employee have appended their signatures.

[willneverteachagain]

[shifdog]

[alabamaman]

Work Hours

1) What are your working hours? Look elsewhere for employment if your employer refuses to write working hours in the labor contract.

2) How many classes do you work per week? How long is each class?

3) More than one (1) preparation hour is excessive.

4) Are you entitled to a break that you may use freely?

5) What are your workdays? Accept no less than Monday through Friday as your working days. There are some employers who offer labor contracts to employees that stipulates the employee will work an event on Saturday. There should be contractual language that clearly defines how many Saturday events you'll work, when you'll work the Saturday events, and the names of the event to be worked on Saturday. If you're not paid for hours worked on Saturday, then seek employment elsewhere.

Wages

1) Accept no less than 2,200,000 Korean Won per month (This applies to 1st year teachers) throughout the contract term.

2) Your employer should provide you a pay receipt on payday stating the nature and amount of all deductions, taxes, and salary.

3) Payday: If your boss refuses to write the date you'll be paid on in your labor contract, then look elsewhere for employment (there have been labor contracts without paydays written in them). You eventually have to be paid on a fixed date in the same work month according to Korean Labor Law. Ask to be paid on the twenty-eighth (28th) of each work month. Employers have absolutely no problem paying you late in Korea. If your work days are Monday through Friday, then it would be in your interest to have contractual language stating, "If the payday (28th) lies on a Saturday, Sunday, Korean National Holiday, day of paid leave (annual leave), the employer agrees to pay the employee on the preceeding working day."




Overtime

1) 25,000 Korean Won

Income tax

1) Your employer should make deductions from your monthly salary for income tax according to the Korean Tax Law. Deductions are calculated according to a sliding scale and not a fixed percentage (%).


Severance Pay

1) Severance pay is calculated as the last three (3) working months wages including overtime pay.

2) Only income taxes may be deducted from your severance pay.

Medical

1) You should be covered under benefits of the National Health Insurance Plan. Monthly contributions will be borne fifty percent (50%) by the employer and fifty percent (50%) you. Your employer, in accordance with Korean Law, will pay contributions to the National Healthcare Insurance Corporation throughout the contract term.

2) When will your employer provide you with a health insurance card from the National Health Insurance Corporation?

Alien Registration

1) There should be contractual language that specifies when your employer will provide you with an ARC (Alien Registration Card). You need an Alien Registration Card before you are enrolled into the NHIP (mandatory as of Jan, 1 2006). They are notorious for failing to follow through on verbal commitments to help employees obtain thier ARC at Korean Immigration.

National Pension Plan

1) Your employer should pay fifty percent (50%) of the National Pension Plan and you should pay an equal amount that will be deducted from your monthly salary by your employer.

Vacation

1) No less than ten (10) days of paid vacation (annual leave). There should be contractual language that clearly defines when (during the precise month) you'll take your days of paid vacation.

2) Your entitled to observe all Korean National Holidays and no deductions from your montly pay occur on such days.

Paid Sick Leave

1) No less than three (3) days of paid sick leave.

Bereavement Leave (Many employers call this emergency leave)

1) 5-7 days that are unpaid


Airfare

1) Your employer should purchase one (1) round-trip airline ticket for you prior to departing for Korea. Upon completion of the labor contract, your employer should provide you with the return portion of the round-trip airline ticket.

2) Your employer should pay for costs, before you depart from Korea, associated with obtaining a work visa that includes lodging, round-trip ferry fares, round-trip airline fares, and visa processing fees.

Housing

1) Your employer should provide you with rent for a furnished single (If you choose to live in a double then you don't know who you'll end up living with and your roommat may have absolutely no respect for your personal belongings) Furnishings provided by the employer should include a shower (including warm running water), bed, washing machine, telephone, air-conditioner, refrigerator, stove, chair, table, television, cooking utensils, eating utensils, blanket, and clean linen.

Dismissal

1) The employer can dismiss you for justifiable reason(s) pursuant to Korean Labor Law. In any labor contract you sign, justifiable reasons (reasons you can be fired) should be clearly defined.

2) Your employer is required to issue you an Advance Notice of Dismissal 30 days prior to dismissal. There are exceptions to the Advance Notice of Dismissal in Articles 32 & 35 of the Labor Standards Act. Before you sign a labor contract, become familiar with the exceptions to the Advance Notice of Dismissal.

Resignation

1) Submit a letter of resignation to your employer no less than thirty (30) calendar days prior to resigning. Your employer has to pay you for every day that you worked.

2) When you resign, you will not be paid your severance pay.

3) If you resign before six (6) full months of employment have been worked, you should reimburse your employer for the cost of the round-trip ticket to South Korea.

4) If you resign after six (6) full months of employment have been worked, you should reimburse your employer for the cost of the round-trip ticket from South Korea to your residence.

Orientation and Training

1) Pursuant to Korean Law, you can't work for your employer until you've been issued an E2 Visa by Korean Immigration Officials.

2) Orientation and training is considered work in the eyes of Korean Immigration Officials.

3) Many employers pay their employees a low hourly compensation during orientation. In some labor contracts, employers have offered 4,000 Korean Won per hour worked during orientation and training. That's known as (S)lave (L)abor (P)ay! You're not paid according to a set hourly wage because your a salary worker.

[Mr. BlackCat]

Hello,

I know people who worked/are working at this branch but I'm going to be as vague as possible so that they cannot be identified by my info if any spies are lurking in the shadows.

You won't have any problems with money. You'll get the housing deposit back and all that. There are no Saturday classes, but there are quite a bit of 'events' on the weekends that pop up that require your attendance. You won't get paid for these. And they add up.

Hours aren't great. Vacations are sporatic. You'll get lots of random Wednesdays off which is great to beat the crowds at EverLand or where ever, but not so great if you actually want to do some travelling.

The place is run well with minimum insanity that usually plagues hakwons. ECC was a decent first year gig, but I would never put up with the BS regarding the workload and weekends again. It was a lot of work and the pay didn't really reflect that. But you're treated well at Seongbuk. There are some cool people that work at this branch.

I can't tell anyone not to take this job...cough cough keep looking cough cough.

Hope this helps!

[willneverteachagain]

[wisernow]

Sungbuk ECC is one of the company owned branches and like most of the branches it is a safe and reliable position. If you research YBM's branch locations you will find many good things about working for them as well as negatives. All large chain schools have some negatives posted about them but going with a company owned branch is a safe as you can get in this country because of the sheer size and financial clout of the company.

It is true that there are many other positions that could offer better compentsation possibly for less work than one fo these YBM locations but usually thats for teachers who already have teaching experience and would know how to run a smaller less established program after they have worked for a larger chain school as well as building up their teaching resume, contacts, etc.

Most of the great gigs that many of the long time posters here are posting about are available because the teacher is in Korea and has references of their previous positions. These positions usually hire locally and only consider teachers who have some sort of Korea teaching experience.

To sum up when you work for the a branch ECC it is like buying a TV from Circuit City or Best Buy (For non-Americans, these are two of the larger electronic chain stores in the USA). Circuit City and Best Buy does not offer the absolute best prices (online and lower end discount stores can beat their prices) but for overall reliability and safe purchase you cannot go wrong and you will not be overpaying either as they charge at least no higher than suggusted retail. As with YBM you will not get a sub standard contract.

As with other posters here always read the contract carefully and research the position.

[Mr. BlackCat]

I'd like to congratulate wisernow with an excellent analogy to big box stores in the US. Quite apt.

ECC is very safe, this branch in particular is well run and there are some good people there. Ask about housing. PM me if you want more info.