Korean Job Discussion Forums

[heydelores]

Does anyone know anything about Kyong Wha Girls School in Kwangju, Gyeonggi-do? I have a friend considering a position there. I tried using the search function, but (surprise!) it doesn't seem to be working tonight. Any information anyone has would be helpful.

[alabamaman]

Labor contract

Income taxes: There should be contractual language that clearly defines the correct (%) your employer will deduct from your monthly salary for income taxes.

Medical: As of January 1, 2006 you have to be enrolled into the National Healthcare Insurance Plan. Your employer deducts 2.24% from your monthly salary and pays the contribution to the National Healthcare Insurance Corporation. In addition, your employer has to contribute a monetary amount equivelant to the deduction from your monthly salary. There should also be contractual language that specifies when your employer will provide you with a health insurance card issued to you by the National Healthcare Insurance Coporation. I've advocated for "The employer agrees to provide the employee with a health insurance card within twenty (20) days of the employee's entry date into Korea."

Monthly salary: Accept no less than 2,000,000 Korean Won.

Paydate: I've advocated on the 28th of each month. You should be paid in that same work month.

Vacation: There should be no less than ten (10) days of paid vacation (annual leave) in your labor contract. In addition, there should also be contractual language that clearly defines when you'll take your paid vacation. Paid vacation should be taken on working days. Your also entitled to all Korean National Holidays and no deductions from your pay occur.

Work hours: There should be contractual language that clearly defines your working hours and what a working hour consists of. Working hours should include when your workday begins and ends. There are some labor contracts without working hours in them. You're also entitled to breaks during working hours.

Korean Pension Plan: Your boss is required by law to deduct 4.5% from your monthly salary and pay the contribution to the Pension Office and contributes an equal amount (4.5%) per month.

Severance: Severance should be calculated as the average of the last three working months salary including overtime wages. A majority of employers, if not all, give you a severance equivelant to your monthly salary.

Housing: Single furnished housing!

Paid sick days: Accept no less than three (3) paid sick days in your labor contract.

Overtime:

*If you make 2,000,000 Korean Won per month

1) Divide your annual salary by the number of weeks per year
2) Annual salary (monthly salary x 12) 24,000,000 Korean Won divided by 52 weeks
3) The result would be 461, 538 Korean Won (weekly salary)
4) Divide your weekly salary by the hours you work per week
5) If your contract stipulates that you work thirty (30) hours per week, then you divide 461,538 by 30 = 15,384 Korean Won (hourly wage)
6) Hourly wage x 1.5 = overtime wage = 23,076

Before you sign a labor contract ask the following questions below:

Author: ttompatz

Talk to MORE THAN ONE of the foreign staff and ask POINTED AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS (*when the boss is NOT listening over their shoulder).

-What are the hours? (start time / stop time / breaks).
-How many classes per day, week, month? NOT hour many hours per month. 30 classroom hours can mean anything from 1350 -1800 minutes per week standing in front of the class. The difference can be up to 7.5 HOURS in front of the class EACH WEEK.
-Do they ALWAYS pay on time?
-Do they pay at the end of your month or do they have a hold back period (5-10 days after your month end) to prevent runners? (no=red flag 1)
-Do they really pay overtime or avoid it with creative book keeping?
-Do you get credit for classes on the national holidays or do you get the day off but still have to work your 120 hours before you get overtime? (no=red flag 2)
-Do they have national medical (with the little booklet)? (no=red flag 3)
-Do they pay into pension? (no=red flag 4)
-What about the holidays? 10 or more WORKING days? (legal requirement here) (no=red flag 5)
-When and how do you get your holidays?
-What extra stuff do you really have to do - mentioned or not in the contract.
-Then consider the quality of life issues - things that are important to you that aren't mentioned here (housing, furnishings, THE BATHROOM, access to recreational facilities, shopping, banking).
Do they take additional deposits in addition to the delay in payday? (yes=red flag 6)

[ttompatz]

[pkang0202]

I wanna work at an all girls school.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

For sure check to see whether its a middle school, or an academic, vocational, or technical high school. High level academic HS girls (like I get to teach this morning) are a teacher's dream - they follow along easily and there are almost never any disciplinary problems beyond the odd loud-mouth or sleeper. Low-level vocational / technical girls (like I get to teach this afternoon) ... well, imagine walking into a classroom of 28 tired, hungry, unmotivated, and down-right dumb-ass 15-16-year olds who are pre-occupied with digital toys, comic books, play-fighting, make-up, hand mirrors, doodling, paper crafts, little children's toys, hair, accessories, and absolutely everything except learning English. That's what I get to do at 12.20 today (actually I do like them but they're a chore). Middle school girls are fun but take a lot more energy and patience. As you can tell, I teach at a girls school that has everything.

[zappadelta]

I saw the ad on the jobs forum, the conditions look good on paper. I don't think kyounggido kwangju is that nice however. It's a high school I think, not a middle school.

[JeJuJitsu]

There's an infitesimal chance you'll find anyone on Dave's that has taught at your Public School before. Not sure why people start threads like this regarding info on a specific Pub. School, for several reasons. It's a new mandate, so most of us are the first "exclusive" teacher they've ever had at their school, AND there's usually only one of us each. Those two factors really makes these threads a waste of time. It's not a hagwon. Let these threads die.

[ilovebdt]

[gsxr750r]

I worked in a girls' high school for a few years. The job was cake.

[pkang0202]

[rothkowitz]

The boys in my High School are tools for the most part.Surly muppets.The girls are way more outgoing.

Go for an all girls HS.Korean teachers from my old place in Moran recommended the same.

[heydelores]

It's a private academic girl's middle and high school. Thanks for your responses!