Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lowpo]

My contract was over at the end of September and I decited to stay another year at my public school. Since I'm staying another year at my school in my provience I moved up a level in pay, from level 2 to level 1.
I was told a month ago from my AC that Board of Education sent my severence or bonus pay from my first contract to the school the second week in October.
Today I talked to my coteacher on when I was going to receive my severance or bonus pay from my first contract.
He told me that my raise was my severance or bonus. Instead of getting one lump sum the Board of Education was paying be a little each month.
So according to him, the school thinks that my raise from for moving up a level was my severance or bonus.


P.S.
i hoped that I explained it where people could understand

[icnelly]

Your boss just ripped you for your severance pay.

Your paygrade jump has nothing to do with your severance, except for how much severance you will recieve for your second contract: Meaning is that you sign another contract at level 1 then you receive the severance amount for level 1.

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

They just put in the papers to the BOE and the severance payment(it's not a "bonus")ought to come within days.

Someone has pocketed it,or at least are attempting to.

[Ilsanman]

Fight for it. That's crap.

[bassexpander]

I'd be mentioning your plans to take this up with the labor board.

I'd also be making plans to teach elsewhere, beginning with a friendly form letter stating that I will not be working with them next year. Be sure to mention why.

They will have more difficulty finding a teacher later, and will fold.

You are being screwed.

You wouldn't put up with this back home, would you?

[lowpo]

[bassexpander]

Well, I might add that, when faced with a slightly different but similar situation, I handled it with tact.

I casually began a discussion about the difficulty of finding quality teachers with the English department head (she was a friend). We then talked about horror stories experienced by other schools in the area. That's when I sucked on my teeth, making that grating noise that Koreans tend to make, saying, "Yeah, I'm getting offers from other schools, and I'm thinking of taking one of them. I really like it here, and will miss everyone, but there is a problem with my salary.....I could make more elsewhere, and get my full bonus...."

Setting the rumor as bait, I then let it spread around for a few days, as I casually mentioned to yet another Korean teacher that I was thinking of accepting an offer at XYZ school in Seoul, and wanted to know what they thought of it (the offer hadn't actually been extended).

Rumors flew around the school that I was planning to go, and that I wanted to stay, but was unhappy with certain salary conditions. They understood that, if I was paid my full salary and bonus, that I would likely be content and stay.

Nothing works better than having other Koreans (who like you, and fear the unknown evils of the next foriegner) fight for you and your pay.

I have used this exact tactic three times at two different schools, and it has worked EVERY TIME. One time, I still ended up leaving (for my current job) and the school has regretted it ever since. I know they have, because they've been through 3 foreigners in 2 years since, and have called me 4 times to come back. One of the foreigners they had ended up caught in a controversy over dating students (high school).

Payback's a bit#ch, ain't it? Now do you wish you'd just paid the guy you liked another measly 100,000 won per month raise for the year, and not taken away over half of his vacation?

If this tactic doesn't work, THEN I'd start getting mad, and call up the labor board. Don't even bother telling them you're going to do it -- just do it. Meet with them and tell them just what you've told us. They'll call the school, and the adventure will begin.

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

Oh good,you've been in touch with your Board of Education.

Who do you imagine has your money?Nice 3-way split between Principal,VP and Head of Admin?

I'd write the principal a formal letter telling him/her that BoE have confirmed your severance was paid to the school as well as one to the BoE informing them of the letter to the principal.

You should get your money soonish.No apology of course,it was all just a "misunderstanding"

[wings]

God this is so twisted and yet so typical. Severance is a law. They can't say it's your "bonus" You are legally entitled to it. It has nothing to do with your raise.

Call Labour and tell then you have not gotten your severance even though your school has gotten the money.

I"m usre you have a new contract that shows your new pay level. And I'm sure you have your old contract which talks about your severance. They are unrelated.

If I were you I would be calm, and tell them "well, I need my severance tomorrow. I called labour and they told me that I DO INDEED get my severance as it is from my first contract. And that if I don't have it within 24 hours I can persue the matter legally". Type up a letter that says something like "This letter acknowledges that X has formally requested his severance pay in accordance with his contract signed blah blah blah, on said date at said time."

They will freak out.

[spliff]

Why would you get bumped a level just for signing another year...you must not be w/ GEPIK...

[lowpo]

[venus]

Am I wrong in thinking that you have not ended your contract, but renewed and thus the severance payment will come at the end of your second year or at the end of whatever year you leave...?

I'm not sure you can get 'severance' (ie leaving) bonusses each year...

I may be wrong and if so, yeah you're being screwed, but I'm really not sure that you can get severance every year if your not severing...

Be worth looking into before you make a fuss...

[spliff]

^Nah....you should get it at the completion of each contracted 1yr period. What they are really doing is trying to get out of giving him a raise.

[icnelly]

[lowpo]