Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bish]

In the GEPIK contract it states you have 14 days of "paid vacation" that can be taken any time the school is not in session. When you take a "paid vacation day" is there a form to fill in? Do GEPIK keep a note of how many days "paid vacation" you have used or is this the school?

My school said I didn't have to come into school in January as there were no students but I never asked for that time off. They said that I should prepare materials for the following year in that time. I guess this means it was not my official vacation.

Does this mean that I should still have the 14 days left over in the Summer? I might leave my school in September so I'm worried they might try to make me stay in the school because of it and say that I used my vacation in January...

Anyone know much about Gepik and vacations?

Does

[Dome Vans]

Personally if they've told you not come in January, I'd take that as a blessing and don't ask any questions. Especially regarding taking 14 days in the summer.

You'll probably get time off in the summer as well. So you'll probably exceed the 14 days. But it's best just to go along with it.

Some schools will make you come in and sit at an empty desk for that time and stick to the 14 days that's in the contracts. Your's doesn't so that's good.

My EPIK has me down for 20 days holiday but I actually get 3 months, because I work out in the sticks. I don't ask any questions. If they say come in for a day or go on a trip then I do it. Best to stay onside.

If your GEPIK is like my EPIK then your 'handler' will fill in details for time off. It'll go in the same book as it does for the Korean teachers so they keep a log of it. They'll probably get the whole of January off as well, so it's good to be treated the same as them.

[bish]

[Dome Vans]

The thing is with the contract is that guarantees a bare minimum. It's open to interpretation by different schools and different provinces and they can implement it in anyway they seem fit. As long as the VP signs it off then there's no need to worry.

If you're getting well over the 14 days then I wouldn't even raise it as a question.

I took Christmas week off last year just before the 2 month winter vacation. My principal ok'ed it as my co-teacher pointed out that I was able to have 20 vacation days. If that's how they wanted to view that extra week even though I was well above my contracted amount then that can only benefit me. But I won't be trying it again, that's why I negotiated that week off in my renewal discussions.

[bacasper]

I'm in a similar position. After teaching only 8 classes/week in January, I had all of February off, which my Kotex specifically said did NOT count as my paid vacation. I am also getting five weeks in July/August. I was assuming it, too, would not count towards paid vacation and wanted to ask for some days of my own, but I decided it was not worth the risk of fighting for the days I want and then losing the 5 weeks in summer. After that, I may get ballsy and ask for my 14 days, but even if not, I am still ahead of the game.

[skconqueror]

and a good way to lose these extra vacation days is to talk about it here..

so how bout STOP

[poet13]

I know places are considering that 14 days as how much time out of the county you can take. I don't go to school either during holidays. I DO do my preparation for the next year. I just do it at home, but only an hour or two a day.

[bovinerebel]

It says we get 14 days but in effect it's closer to 4 months where you don't do any actual teaching. You might have to do a summer and a winter "camp" for an hour or 2 during two of those months , but that's only if you are really unlucky. I have to come in and sit around for half days , but it's a pretty sweet deal.

If you finish your contract they give you a whole month to go home (with a nice fat double pay checque) plus the 2 weeks in the winter period to leave the country for travel should you wish. Add to that the weeks off for exams and days off for field trips and test etc....and I feel guilty at times that they even pay me. Who are you people who complain about this job ?

[poet13]

"You might have to do a summer and a winter "camp" for an hour or 2 during two of those months , but that's only if you are really unlucky."

Unlucky? Shoot. For 30 hours at 35,000 per, that extra million a week is sweet. I did four weeks of camp one holiday. That was a VERY nice paycheck that month.

[bovinerebel]

[Cerriowen]

You get paid extra for summer camps? I thought that was part of the contracted hours...

[Draz]