Korean Job Discussion Forums

afsjesse · Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Location: Kickin' it in 'Kato town.

I'm a Level 2 EPIK GET in Gyeongbuk and I was looking at the 2009 Pay levels. It says that the pay for a Level 2 is 2.2m won. My contract states I make 2.1.

So when I go to renew with my school, I'll be a 2+ which according to the website makes 2.3. If I get the normal raise of a 100k, that puts me at 2.2 for my base.

Will i automatically be givein 2.3 or do I have to bring this to their attention. Or are the pay levels on the website inclusive with Rural allowances in which case I do make 2.2 now? I'm in a rural area and get that allowance.

Any thoughts?

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

cruisemonkey · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 2:10 am Post subject:

No, the pay didn't go up, they just included the provincial allowance to make it look like it did.

The new contract has: fewer holidays, fewer sick days and 'fixed' airfare (now called entry, exit and renewal allowances) that probably won't cover the cost of flights, depending on where you live.

afsjesse · Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Location: Kickin' it in 'Kato town.

I read through the new contract on the site and they are giving us airfare reimburstment still and the wording makes it sound like the extra allowances are ontop of all that.. am i wrong? And where does it say anything about fewer holiday? It still says clearly that we get all national holidays off....

cruisemonkey · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:04 am Post subject:

Where in the contract does it mention "airfare reimbursement"?

Of course national holidays are the same - they're statutory - but they changed the holidays (paid leave) from 14 work days to 21 calendar days.

afsjesse · Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Location: Kickin' it in 'Kato town.

Article 6, section 3 states that if the GET terminates the contract that they must buy their own way home. Which would obviously reference a prepaid ticket if you finish your contract, not an allowance.

But they dont mention airfare in any other place so perhaps your right. And in the contract renewal they say you get the two weeks off but they dont mention the paid flight... so now i'm in doubt... but the 2m won is a good bonus. same same lol

cruisemonkey · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:25 am Post subject:

cruisemonkey · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:49 am Post subject:

afsjesse · Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Location: Kickin' it in 'Kato town.

So let's switch the question: What can we do about it?

I know that on December 19, alot of EPIK Get's are going to Daegu to the Ariana Brau for dinner. This is a mandatory meeting and the topic is "Changes to the 2009 contract!" I'm interested in seeing the reactions to 90 percent of the people who have no idea whats going on. I predict a passive silence as they ponder all that extra Won if they renew etc....

I suppose one could always renegotiate with his/her school for the airfare. However I dont think 100 complaining foreign teachers is going to solve the problem.

Thoughts?

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

English Matt · Joined: 12 Oct 2008

cruisemonkey · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:49 am Post subject:

Chamchiman · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Location: Digging the Grave

cruisemonkey and afsjesse,

You're both in Gyeongsangbuk-do right? My wife's family is from that area, but there's NO WAY I'm heading down there for a measly week and a half of time off per vacation period. Last I heard, Gangwon-do gives five weeks of vacation, and that's an EPIK program. How about bringing THAT up at the meeting on December 19th?

What the hell is up with that province?

afsjesse · Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Location: Kickin' it in 'Kato town.

Good question!

Im aware of the Gangwondo vacation that I reallllyyyy want! Initially I wanted to get in their but the recruiter couldn't get me a job and tried as hard as he could. I was late in applying and it was full. So I told EPIK I wanted to be in Far Northern Gyeongbuk near Gangwondo! I love that province for its rurality and mountains etc.... I really wanted a job in Inje.

Why wont I switch? This is the dilemma. I would love to go there next year. I could easily apply early and probably get a nice selection. But I would not move up in the payscale with EPIK. If I renew at my 4 schools I get a Level 2+. In addition to this I get a 200k won multischool allowance for working at 4 schools. Chances are i Gangwondo I would take a pay cut by 2 or 300k won.

Chump change in dollars these days but I have 50k in student debt I need to pay back. Unless I could get a rural placement with multischools, I dont think I'll be switching.

With regards to the meeting, you can damn well bet on me bringing my fog horn (loud mouth) to this Daegu meetup. So if anyone else is going it would be nice not to be the loan voice when calling a spade a spade!

This contract is a degradation in benefits overall, albeit the allowances look pretty and you could pocket the money for renewal and travel to Thailand etc.. for cheap. I'll update this thread in two weeks when I'm back from Daegu!

sojourner1 · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 2:48 pm Post subject:

afsjesse if you can wait until next Summer, you can have my rural Gangwondo job. Heck, you get a large apartment and 5 weeks off. The main school is pretty good and they treat you good without annoying hassles, but the other school you're at for 2 days a week sucks boozonkers.