Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dawnbuckley]

Hello,

Just got an email from these. situated in Gangnam.

Anyone heard of them?

Thanks,

Dawn

[garykasparov]

Questions to ask foreign teachers at the school

1 ) As questions about work hours;

( a ) When does your workday start?

( b ) When does your workday end?

( c ) How many hours do you teach per day, week and month?

( d ) Does your employer force employees to work at other schools even if they don't have permission from Korean Immigration Officials? Yes - Red Flag

( e ) Does your employer provide you with time to take a break during working hours you may use freely? How long are your breaks?

( f ) Does your employer count time spent teaching in class as a "work hour" or time spent teaching teaching in class including preparation between classes as a "work hour?"

Note: If your employer does not count preparation time, you will work SEVERAL additional hours per month without pay.

2 ) Ask questions about wages;

( a ) Are you always paid on time? No - Red Flag

( b ) Does your employer pressure you or force you to give access to your bank account as well as cash card? Yes - Red Flag

( c ) Does your employer pay you in cash or deposit your monthly salary into your Korean bank account?

( d ) Does your employer provide you with a pay receipt on payday stating the nature and amount of all deductions, taxes, and salary? No - Red Flag

Ask questions about overtime wages;

( a ) Does your employer force employees to work overtime hours provided they don't have a clause in their contract that stipulates the employer may require etc. etc. the employee to work overtime hours? Yes - Red Flag

( b ) Does your employer pay you overtime wages or avoid paying them with creative book keeping?
Yes - Red Flag

4 ) Ask questions about paid annual leave (referred to as vacation or paid vacation in some contracts);

( a ) Does your employer make deductions from your monthly salary on or during days of paid annual leave? Yes - Red Flag

( b ) When do you use annual paid leave?

( c ) How do you use annual paid leave?

5 ) Ask questions about Korean National Holidays

( a ) Does your employer make you work on Korean Nation Holidays?

( b ) Does your employer make deductions from your monthly salary during or on Korean National Holidays? Yes - Red Flag

( c ) Do you get credit for classes on national holidays or do you get the day off but still have to work your 120 hours before you get overtime?

6 ) Ask questions about medical insurance;

( a ) Has your employer provided you with a health insurance card? No = Red Flag

( b ) Has your employer respected your medical privacy? No = Red Flag

7 ) Ask questions about pension;

( a ) Does your employer pay into pension? No = Red Flag

8 ) What extra stuff do you really have to do mentioned or not in the contract?

9 ) Is the school having financial troubles? Yes = Red Flag

10 ) Ask questions about paid sick days;

( a ) Have you ever taken a sick day?

( b ) How easy was it?

( c ) Did you have to make it up later?

( d ) Was your salary docked for the time you took off? Yes = Red Flag

( e ) Did another (native) teacher have to cover your class?

Note: You may have to teach twice as many students in your class if someone else is sick. If a teacher does a runner, you may have to teach a double schedule of 12 hours per day in addition to weekend classes. This has happened to many teachers in Korea.

11 ) Does your employer have a history of firing employees for the sole purpose of not providing severance pay, last months� wages and a plane ticket home? Yes - Red Flag

12 ) Does your employer have a history of being verbally or physically abusive? Yes - Red Flag

13 ) Does your employer have a history of "pocketing " deductions for taxes, pension and medical insurance? Yes - Red Flag

14 ) Ask questions about the apartment:

(a) Did your employer provide you with the furnishings stated in your contract?

(b) What were the overall conditions of your apartment includiing the furnishings when you moved in?

(c) Does your employer have a reputation of taking security deposits out of employee's monthly salary provided there was not a clause for a security deposit in their contract? Yes - Red Flag

(d) Are the utilities in your name or your bosses?

(e) Were all the utilities paid from the prior teacher BEFORE you moved in?

(f) Does your employer walk into your apartment when you are in your apartment without your consent or do apartment searches when you are not in your apartment? Yes - Red Flag

15 ) Did you get your passport, degree, and transcripts back after receiving a work visa from Korean Immigration Officials?
No - Red Flag

16 ). What are the English speaking abilities of the Korean Teachers and your employer like?

17 ). What are the main attractions of the city?

18 ). Are there banks, train stations, bus terminals and subway stations near the school?

[ilovebdt]

I went for an interview at an I-Spoon school in Apgujeong.
They teach Kindergarten and elementary school age kids. They study other subjects besides English. I-Spoon charges a little more than other hagwons because the class sizes are kept small.
My then bf best friend's wife worked there and she really enjoyed it.
Don't forget to ask all the questions that gary suggested too

ilovebdt