Korean Job Discussion Forums

[katydid]

OK, so I've been going through recruiters as well as looking for jobs on my own. Got my first contract today, and couldn't believe what I was reading:

Would be making 2.1 million won to live in Jeonju. (That's good)
Would have to share housing with 1 or 2 others (I personally don't like that, but it's not a horrible situation for someone else, maybe.)

But then here is where I thought the deal started to stink:

1) First off, not applicable to me, but do any of you have it in your contract that your company will buy you a plane ticket and then for the first three months of your contract, you pay the ticket back to the company? When you finish a year, only then will you get reimbursed for the ticket.
2) I also have problems with the fact that the recruiter works out of the same hagwan. If I have a problem, who would I talk to?
3) Ties into number 2 somewhat. I will not be allowed to discuss my contract with any of my co-workers. Sure, OK, I know it's rude to discuss how much someone makes among Westerners, but this feels a bit like a possible divide and conquer tactic.
4)If I do something the hagwan doesn't like, and they feel they must discipline me somehow, then I am required to write a letter of apology to the director. I hate butt-kissing with a passion supreme. "Sorry, I made a mistake." should be good enough.
5) If I lose a teacher's manual, I am responsible for paying for it. Who brings their teacher's manual with them on a night out on the town?!
6) If I am more than 15 minutes late to a class, I will be docked an hour's pay.

It seems, as a friend of mine said, that the school has been burned before by a freaky waygook and now tries to control all new hires with an iron fist.
So, the school I was looking at is TOP Language School in Jeonju. Does anyone else know anything about this school, and what it is like to work there? I'm not *really* calling for a black-listing, but their contract makes themselves seem pretty dodgy, and I just want to know if anyone else has weird things stipulated in their contracts.

[Kalhoun]

Find your heart in Seoul Katydid!

[Bulsajo]

[katydid]

[jjambonghead]

atleast you got offered a contract.

I was offered a position with no contract, no housing, and because I am considered a gyopo would be offered less than what "native speakers" were given, however born and raised in the states.

who said it was easy for gyopo's to find jobs in korea on this board???

[katydid]

Well, now you know TOP School is hiring.

[canuckistan]

1 or 2 roommates?

No, Non, Nein, Macht das nicht, Vergessen, Oublie ca, Forget it

[katydid]

I know....last year ONE roommate was QUITE ENOUGH, thank you, for me.
I really hope, and I have always been a bit of a naive person, but with my 2 years under my belt here, I should be able to land something sweet, eh?

[Austin]

What is "dodgy" about the contract?

People complain about contracts being too vague, but then gripe when they are too exact! Which is it?

Nothing in that contract is suspect.

1) If you are late, you get fined.

Do you have a problem with being on time?

2) If you lose your book, you pay to replace it?

Do you have a problem with being responsible for material that has been loaned to you?

3) If you require discipline, they want a documented account of your acknowledgement.

Do you have a problem with being held accountable for your actions?

4) If you are paid less or more than other staff members, they do not want it to be an issue.

Do you have a problem with individuals being able to negotiate their salary and being held to it?

You sign as an individual, complete your own work, and are compensated accordingly. Why make it a group issue? Talking with others about "pay" would likely lead to resentment. Would you rather every person be paid the exact same amount?

5) If you intend on completing your contract, why would a staggered loan payment plan be an issue?

Do you have problem with sharing part of the burden of the airfare with your employer until you prove that you are reliable?

Again, the contract is not dodgy, but it sure sounds like a few of the posters here might very well be.

Austin

[rapier]

Its not a bad contract and sounds entirely reasonable: 15 mins or more late? lose an hours pay. Sounds fair...to be honest. the only thing a bit silly is the apologetic letter writing. Any conflicts should be able to be resolved face to face by talking/ communication. It does seem that many directors want an aloof hands off approach when communicating with staff, which is always wrong.
It pi**es me off too that there is such a liberal scattering of a***hole "teachers " over here who treat their jobs like s**t and we all end up paying for their selfishness when we inherit their jobs..
I don't overly sympathise with directors, but its useful to put yourself in their shoes occasionally. A lot of teachers are very demanding here when you actually think about it- its all me me me.

[Pyongshin Sangja]

Shockingly, I am with Austin on this one. Except for the plane fare. It should be half on arrival, half at the end. They should help you with start up costs like that. It is sort of a token of good will. They expect you to travel to Korea, they can help you get here. Nonetheless, it is money in the bank and you will get it all back at the end so don't sweat it. Besides, aren't you already in Korea? Or are you planning a trip home between contracts.

[katydid]

I knew Austin would thin this contract was completely sensible.
Have any of you lost your teacher's manual? Why? I am a responsible enough individual to know that work stuff stays at work and should not go home or anywhere else with me. Isn't this something that is common sense, you lose or break something then pay for it? Why put it into the contract? Probably because a number of people were irresponsible enough in the past for them to now watch all new hires like a hawk.
I was pretty lucky last year to have worked at a hagwan where they paid for the ticket without asking for any compensation back and since it was a small hagwan, I could ALWAYS talk to my director about any problems I had. Sometimes he'd say "Let me fix it now," sometimes he'd say "There's nothing I can do." Understandable.
And that whole 15 minutes late thing. If it interferes with class time, that is a problem. But if you're 15 minutes late for prep time or a meeting due to traffic, will they be reasonable and understand, or take out the company letterhead and ask for a letter.
To me, the whole list of don'ts sounds like they have dealt with inexperienced, immature individuals in the past, who may have run from their jobs two months in, and as someone who takes her job seriously (as in I would not show up drunk for a class, and teach my students to the best of my ability), I find the list too anal to deal with and wonder how the people who work there feel about their jobs.
My business policy would be to treat everyone who worked for me like they were the best teachers ever, and most responsible people, until I was proved otherwise. Maybe my business wouldn't last long but I'd sleep better at night.

[hellofaniceguy]

It's very simple; if you don't like the terms, don't sign it. I would not sign it as it appears now. Why share housing? Ask the owner to share his house. He won't. Roommates will make your life hell most of the time. Air fare? It's korean law according to immigration. If the business does not sign the sponsor form which states that the business will pay for airfare to the home country, immigration will not issua a visa. Late for work? Hell, koreans are always late! If you are late for work in the civilized world, you won't loose an hours pay, you'll be counseled, written up and warned. Unless you have a good excuse. Sounds like the hokwon has been shafted a few times by non korean teachers and so.... they don't want it to happen again. Contracts are changeable and really, are contracts in korea worth anything? No, I'm not trolling. Just read the posts on this site! Thousands of teachers have been shafted in korea. It can't be the teachers fault when thousands are getting burnt. It's business as usual in korea. I would not recommend teaching more than 4/5 50 minute classes a day at a hokwon. Agreeing to teach 120 hours a month gets you more classes than you can handle and still do a good job at teaching.

[katydid]

Please let me clarify for anyone who is interested (all 2 of you) I am not going to sign the contract, as I know I could do better, and I have plenty of time to look for good jobs around here and meet with people face to face.
Mainly, what I wanted was everyone else's opinion, as I have only seen 2 fairly reasonable contracts in my lifetime as an ESL teacher here (that's 2 contracts seen for 2 jobs held, don't mean I've seen scores of horrid contracts).
I guess I'm just lookign for other people's opinions, and other stories about what sort of things were in their contracts.

[Austin]

Katydid,

Again, which is it? Do you want contracts to be specific or vague?

From your response, it sounds like you believe that there is no need for contracts, as you will give "everyone" the benefit of the doubt. Moreover, you point to the example of the book as being common sense, but is there such a thing? Why should some things be in a contract, but other things be omitted?

What happens when you ask your "wonderful" teachers to attend a Christmas party for the school on their day off?

You admit that the rules are their to protect the employer from terrible employees, so if you are such a "great" employee why would any of the rules offend you?

I certainly have never been bothered by rules, laws, etc. that never applied to me.

Austin

BTW, if you do not like a contract, you do not have to sign it, but do not claim that it is "dodgy" for being specific!