Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gojulie]

I have heard some horror stories about SLP's on this forum. Has anyone had any experience with this one specifically?

SLP Seongdong is located near Wangsimli subway station. I have spoken to a teacher working there and she had nothing but nice things to say. As this is my first time, i am leary about getting stuck in a bad place.

Any experiences?

Thanks!

[True_Blue]

Just wondering if anyone has any information about this school?

Thanks

[garykasparov]

There have been few positive comments about (S)lave (L)abor (P)rostitutes. If you choose to work here, I advise that you don't, It would be wise to ask the following questions to ALL FOREIGN TEACHERS.

( 1 ) Work hours:

( a ) When does your workday start?

( b ) When does your workday end?

( c ) How many preparation hours do you work before the first class?

( d ) Does your employer force employees to work at other schools without permission from Korean Immigration Officials?

( e ) Does your employer provide you with time to take breaks during working hours that you can use freely? If so, then how long are your breaks?

( 2 ) Wages:

( a ) Are you always paid on time?

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

( 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 pay receipts on payday stating the nature and amount of all deductions, taxes, and salary?

( e ) Does your employer give you holiday bonuses that are deductions from your monthly salary for income tax, pension or medical insurance?

( 3 ) Overtime wages:

( a ) Does your employer force employees to work overtime hours?

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

( 4 ) Paid annual leave:

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

( b ) How do you use paid annual leave days?

( c ) When do you use paid annual leave days?

( 5 ) Korean National Holidays:

( a ) Does your employer "require you / force you" to work on Korean Nation Holidays?

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

( 6 ) National Health Insurance Plan:

( a ) Did your employer provide you with a health insurance card?

( b ) Does your employer respect your medical privacy?

( 7 ) National Pension Plan:

( a ) Does your employer pay into the Korean Pension Plan?

( 8 ) What else do you do that's not written in your contract?

( 9 ) Is the school in financial trouble?

( 10 ) Paid sick days:

( a ) Does your employer let you take a paid sick day if you are unable to teach due to illness or injury?

( b ) What was your employer's reaction when you asked for a paid sick day?

( c ) Did you ever have to make up a paid sick day at a later date?

( d ) Did your employer ever make deductions from your monthly salary for a paid sick day you took off?

( e ) If you used a paid sick day, did another native teacher work your classes?

( 11 ) Does your employer have a history of firing employees for the sole purpose of not providing severance pay, wages and a plane ticket home?

( 12 ) Does your employer have a history of being verbally or physically abusive?

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

( 14 ) Housing & accomodations:

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

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

( c ) Does your employer make deductions from your monthly salary for housing deposits provided you signed a labor contract without a housing deposit clause?

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

( e ) Were all the utilities paid from the prior teacher before you moved in? If they were not, did you pay for them?

( 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?

( 15 ) Did you get your passport, degree and transcripts back after receiving a work visa from Korean Immigration Officials?

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

( 17 ) Does your boss deduct income taxes from your monthly salary correctly?

( 18 ) Have there been complaints filed against your employer at the local labour office within the last year or two? If so, then what were they for?

( 19 ) How many students attend the school?

( 20 ) How many Korean teachers and foreign teachers work at the school?

( 21 ) Is there an airport, subway station, train station or bank near the school?

( 22 ) Are students placed in classes that are to difficult for them?

( 23 ) Do all the students have books or do teachers have to make photo-copies of books on a constant basis?

[ttompatz]

I'll make this even shorter and easier than the above post.

READ THE CONTRACT! - CAREFULLY.

Most SLP contracts read 21-23 classes of 80 minutes each per week.
That means 1840 minutes IN THE CLASS per week. 30:40 in front of the class + prep time = more than 40 hours per week in the hakwon.

Most hakwons make you work 30 classes of 50 minutes per week. 1500 minutes per week. 25:00 in front of the class. Usually about 32-35 hours per week in the hakwon.

Public school teachers (elementary level just like SLP) teach 22 classes of 40 minutes per week. 880 minutes per week. 14:40 in front of the class. 40 hours per week in the school but lots of chances for supplimental pay as well.

That means that you will be standing in front of the class more than 2x longer than a public school newbie for the same money.

The contract with SLP does NOT get any better after that.

BE VERY CAREFUL before you sign for a year in hakwon hell.

[Octavius Hite]

Slave Labour Program

[wylies99]

Why even bother to read the contract? SLP won't honor any part of any contract.

[garykasparov]

On that note, I haven't seen or heard anything good about a (S)lave (L)abor (P)rostitute contract. The contracts are crap. Pure crap.

[wings]

I have 2 friends that work at this specific branch, they like it. But I think the pay is really low for the hours, I almost took a job their until I read the contract and realised just how many hours I would be working.

[goodgood]

I dont know about the particular slp you are asking about, but I work at an slp, and and it is as close to heaven as a job can get. Yeah, I gotta be there 8 hours a day(oh god....8 hours! the horror!) , but more than 3 of them are fing around on the internet or reading. I don't even have to be there- I can go walk around or get food or whatever if I feel like it.

Tiny (and I do mean tiny) classes, very few of 'em, great bosses, everything laid out for me.... This beats the hel l out of my last hagwon.

So I guess what I'm saying is don't listen to the people here. They don't know what they're talking about. They've never worked at an slp.

But, like I said, they're all different. Don't write them off because of what people here say. But do do your resarch. Mine is great, but I'm sure many are bad. I'm just posting this because if I had believed what I read here I would have taken a different, and in all likelihood inferior job. Give them a chance. Hear them out. Then make your decision.

btw I won't be checking this thread again, because I know it'll just be a bunch of mindless eslcafe drones accusing me of working for the company. That is what happens every time.

[explorer25]

DO NOT WORK FOR SLP ...

THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE CONTRACT, and try to make u look BAD no matter what the reason is.... it's always, 'it's ur fault...ur the teacher, u know parents complain..i am sorry we have to let you go... !"


NEVER AGAIN.

* ESPECIALLY, YDP SLP ! (yeoungdeungpo-slp ! ) supervisor is A PSYCHO.