Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tombirner]

Back in December, just a month after I began teaching at a public elementary school in a small town, I was told that beginning next semester (in March or April or so) I would have the option of teaching an after school program. The pay would be at least 40,000W a class, and the hours and curriculum would be flexible.

That was told me by the temporary English teacher, who has now been replaced by the permanent one. Suddenly it's gone from definitely 40,000W per class (of course the new teacher has no idea where the substitute got that figure) to vaguely around 1,000,000W per month for eight classes a week. Still, sounded fine. Don't have to work too hard, and I could still use the cash.

Now apparently the funding has been lost, and we're down to between six and seven hundred thousand won per month. So at this point I'm down to about half the money I was promised. Not only that, but they seem to be saying I don't have an option... I HAVE to do this. I'm not miserable here but not in love with the place either- I've actually been liking it less and less of late0 and don't have a huge problem to tell them to shove it, that I won't do these sudden eight extra classes a week... again, I'm in a tiny town, and I'm very aware that it took them months to find a native speaker (me), and they're very grateful to have me- and thus very nice, usually, but I don't appreciate the sudden pushiness.

I'm just a little confused about contract details. Of course my contract is nice and vague in this department: I agree to 'perform other duties as designated by Employer,' 'be involved in extra-cirricular classes, teacher training, or English camps requested by the school and educational office,' etc. As for overtime, it says my weekly hours shall not exceed 22, but if they do (interesting way of putting it... like, they won't exceed 22 hours, but if they do... wait, I thought they wouldn't, though??), I'm entitled to 'a supplementary class instruction pay at the rate applicable to Korean teachers for the supplementary class instruction hours.' I assume this simply means I'll be paid overtime, but of course they don't say how much that amout is.

Any advice here?? What is the typical overtime rate? I don't necessarily want to be fired, though I doubt they'd fire me for this, but I don't really want to agree to making half the money I was promised. Again, I'm at a public school... I guess that means we're funded by the government, though our town is based on the nuclear power plant we have here, and I think that has something to do with it as well (they tell me I'm not making as much as they promised because the power plant pulled out of funding at the last minute... but then, how do they somehow have six or seven hundred thousand a month extra just lying around for me??)

Sorry for the long-windedness. I'd appreciate any advice. Is there a universal overtime (though I don't think they're classifying it as such) rate I should demand? 600,000-700,000 won comes to 18,750-21,875 per class, which from what I remember is pretty low.

Thanks for any help.

[Otherside]

I don't know what program you are on, but for GEPIK teachers the official overtime rate is W20,000/hour. Also, there is a clause in the contract which allows them to give us up to 6 hours/week overtime (i.e. 28 classes a week) without us having a choice.

I've heard of teachers who are earning well over W20,000 for overtime though (GEPIK), but not to sure how that works.

[nomad-ish]

overtime is usually 20,000W and sometimes 25,000 W in contracts. i think some people negotiate better rates though

[Easter Clark]

[nomad-ish]

[Soccerstar]

Negotiate for $50. Don't take less than $25. Be flexible until it is less than $25/40 minute class. Then tell them that you are too exhausted to teach extra classes and you cannot do it anymore. OR, if forced, give word searches EVERY time. (: www.puzzlemaker.com

[yingwenlaoshi]

"The funding was lost." Yeah. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Lost in someone else's pocket. I'd tell them to fk off and teach the classes themselves. They promised you this, you got that. Then they rip away more and say you have no choice. That equals:

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

It's usually best to avoid doing any extra work for your employers, because that's how you get screwed.

Actually, hate to hijack your thread-- but has anyone agreed to do extra classes for low pay and then played hardball refusing to teach unless you get paid more than what was originally offered?