Korean Job Discussion Forums

expat2001 · Joined: 28 Jan 2006

Im currently working for GEPIK. I have 26 classes a week , not including the 3 after school classes, which i will be teaching as of next week.
I want to get rid of all my overtime. Has anyone ever tried this and what was the outcome.
I seem to recall someone claiming that it was illegal to force teachers to work overtime.Does anyone have any proof of this?

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

yeremy · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:33 pm Post subject: Look at your contract

GEPIK seems to be feeling overly ambitious this year. You should refer back to your contract. I know it sounds redundant, but GEPIK has to follow it, too. You don't have to give in, if you don't want to, but there may be a reason or two why it may be in your best interests. First, you have to work so many hours per your contract. Many public schools like hagwons actually count your hours at school as fulfilling your monthly time requirement. At my last school, when I worked all of my hours, I was always paid for it. But whenever a holiday came along, my school used the overtime hours I had accumulated to fulfill my contract's requirement for such and such a number of hours a month. I suggest you check this angle out and then re-evaluate it if that is what you want to do.

Second, if "brownie points" are given in the public schools, this would be a situation where they would be given. I always agreed to work a reasonable amount of overtime but not too much. I would not be surprised if a principal or vice-principal may consider one's willingness to teach extra classes when it comes time to consider re-signing a NET or not. I always tried and did what I thought was right and it generally worked out for me.

Third, once a former co-teacher tried to dupe me into agreeing to teach a really extensive teacher's class because of some edu-babble the local Education office supposedly issued. I turned her down and that was that. It turned out that I was right and the vice principal agreed with me. She told me later that she felt left out because the students "monopolized" my teaching time. I didn't feel sorry for her.

I don't know what your situation is, so you should take my remarks with a grain of salt. They were only meant to be helpful. There are pluses and minuses for everything we do. Either way, we have to pay the band in order to dance. Good luck.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 5:06 pm Post subject:

Supplementary class instruction and 'overtime' are different.

If your contract states you may be required to teach an additional six classes per week (over your 22 classes/week; and within your regularly scheduled 40 hours/week) you have no choice, but are entitled to supplementary class instruction pay.

If you agree to work overtime (outside of your regularly scheduled 40 hours/week) you are entitled to overtime.

You do not have to agree to work overtime -

Labor Standards Act
Article 6 (Prohibition of Forced Labor)
An employer shall not force a worker to work against his own free will through the use of violence, intimidation, confinement or by any other means which unjustly restrict mental or physical freedom.

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

OP, send your resume to a couple of different schools. Tell them you're looking for a position in 60 days or so. They'll call your school to ask about you.
THEN, you can explain, from a position of strength, that you are sick of working overtime. Wink

expat2001 · Joined: 28 Jan 2006

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

cruisemonkey · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 9:17 pm Post subject:

What does work is saying "No.".

It's very simple - if you don't want to work overtime, don't do it.

... 'listen' and repeat... "No."... again "No."... Rolling Eyes