Korean Job Discussion Forums

[retrogress]

I have a question:

Has your PS ever tried to NOT PAY the monthly provincial allowance for the school vacation period?

When I first started, my Korean teacher said she as "negotiating with the accounting office to get 150,000 Won a month for me to "help out with my transportation costs". I thought this was extreemly nice. I got it and was elated. Later I was told that I wouldn't get it for the vacation month because I'm not coming to school (I have a winter camp). At the time I said that was cool.

Then, I found out that that was actually my provincial bonus that I get each month. Now I have to tell them that they are required by contract to give it to me. (You're probably wondering if I read the contract, and I did but the contract had to be changed after I got here for a number of reasons, one of which is that I had gotten my TESOL certification and fell into a higher pay bracket.)

If your PS has tried to keep this from you during the winter month, did they give a reason why? Did you eventually get it?

I'm curious. I'm going to show them the contract and they will say, "Oh, ok." like they always do. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

Thanks for the input.

[Jeff's Cigarettes]

WELL, IF THE MONEY IS FOR TRANSPORT AND YOU'RE NOT USING THE TRANSPORT WHY SHOULD THE SCHOOL HAVE TO PAY? BTW, THE RURAL IS ONLY 100,000 PER MONTH. THEY CAN'T HOLD THAT AMOUNT BACK. AND, WHY DID YOU HAVE TO HAVE A NEW CONTRACT AS THERE IS A PROVISION IN IT FOR COMPLETING THE CERT? IT SIMPLY SAYS THAT THE MONTH AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE 100HR CERT COURSE THEY HAVE TO PAY YOU AT THE INCREASED BRACKET. DO YOU WORK FOR GEPIK?

[retrogress]

***I don't work for GEPIK or EPIK. My contract is roughly based on the EPIK contract. I was hired through EDRA (no longer in business strangely enough)***

See, That's just it, the money ISN'T for transportation. It's actually my provincial allowance. You know, in the contract where it says something to the effect of "you also get 100,000 WON for teaching outside of Gyeonggi Pronvince" and "you also get 150,000 WON for teaching at 3 rural schools (100,000 for 2 schools, 150,000 for 3 schools).

My recruiter screwed things up by not telling them that I had my TESOL (I got it 3 months before school started). So, when I came to the school, my K teacher said, "We have to change your contract because you have your TESOL CERT.". Up until then I had been promised X money by my recruiter but only got X minus 200,000 by my school. Later we changed the contract and I got the original promised amount.

In all the mighty confusion, I thought that a 100,000 Won provincial bonus had been included in the contract Salary where it says, "you will be paid X per month". And so I thought this 150,000 Won was some sort of trasporation fee that they were giving me just to be nice". (haha)

Later I learned that where it said "You will be paid a total salary of X"...oh, this is getting confusing...it's a long story.

Anyway, the 150,000 is my provincial bonus that we all get for teaching at podunk areas out in the middle of nowhere. My contract says, "Mae Wol (every month) you get 100,000 won" and "Mae Wol, you get 150,000 won".

So it goes at PS in Korea.

[Ramen]

So you're teaching at multiple schools? How many?

And yes, the salary in your contract is your base salary and all the other allowances are not included and separate based on where you are placed.

[retrogress]

I teach at 3 schools, all rural.

[cruisemonkey]

OP.

You're confused and you've confused the readers of 'Dave's'. I can only imagine how confused the Ks that have to deal with you must be.

Hint - If you want to ask questions about a contract you must use the proper terminology.

[schwa]

The 150000 won is not a provincial bonus. Its an allowance for travel to additional schools. "Every month" you actually go to those schools, you'll get it.

[retrogress]

Is that so? First I've heard of it. Well, that's what they're claiming...that I won't get it during January.

Does the fact that the contract says, "each month" mean nothing?

Does the fact that it doesn't say anywhere "except during vacation or when you don't go to school" mean anything?

Does the fact that EPIK says, "Your school must pay that money" mean anything?

[cruisemonkey]

Jesus! In your second post you said you were not EPIK, now you say EPIK says...

[poet13]

I think the OP makes sense even if he or she garbled the words a little. OP. Get all your ducks in a row, make notes, use colored page tabs, and go back to the person who makes the decisions. Present your case one small, very logical sentence at a time. Make sure decision maker understands each sentence as you go.

It confused you, so it's no wonder it confused them. I bet if they understand where it went wrong, they will sort it out.

[retrogress]

Cruisemonkey: My school bases MOST of their policy on what EPIK's policies are even though they we don't use EPIK. Therefore, in negotiating with them it is only logical that I find out what EPIK thinks on the matter.

By the way, my K teacher who was told by EPIK, "you have to pay the money to your teacher", says, "You should get the money, like EPIK says." (even if her siding with me means nothing to accounting).

I appreciate your evaluation of my written communication skills. I find it queer how you have time and energy to comment on how the posts were written (in fact you seem to be obsessing on it), but you haven't given much thought as to the content of my "confusing post".

Why don't you pick from one of the following replies next time instead of issuing forth criticisms towards another person's request for help. Sure, putting down others is a way of elevating one's sense of self worth, but it doesn't usually last very long (hence you have to do it regularly--don't you):

1. Don't really know what you mean by ___________. Could you explain further. (you fill in the blanks with whatever confused you)
2. That's never happened to me before. Sorry, can't help. (In this case you could simply not reply)
3. Gee, that sounds really freakin' confusing. You should have _____________________. (fill in the blanks with what you think I should have done to aviod this problem)
4. Ah. I have milled over your posts which confused me at first, but I think now I understand. I think you should ______________. ( Fill in the blanks with your advice as you like.)

I'm really curious to know what kind of a gal/fella you are. It's a morbid curiousity.

[cruisemonkey]

poet13's advice is 'right on the money'.

What does your contract say? Provincial allowance and multiple school allowance are not interchangable terms - they are specific for a reason. Any advice based on hearsay and conjecture is worthless. I'm morbidly curious as to how they've modified a standard EPIC contract to your situation. If you post your contract we can analyse it and give (hopefully) cogent advice.

[sojusucks]

The GEPIK contracts state a 100,000 Won addition to one's monthly salary for teaching at a rural school. This seems to be standard but some schools may provide more. The contract is a base. For example, the contract states 20,000 Won for overtime but some teachers get more. The contract is merely the base and it is between you and your school.


You can call it whatever you want. All I know is that it is in the GEPIK contracts.

[afsjesse]

I'm with EPIK and work at 4 RURAL schools. My base salary is 2.1 which includes the provincial allowance.

I also get 100k extra for working in a rural area.

I also get 200k extra for working in 4 schools.

So based on your logic, I wont get that 200k because I'm not going to those schools in January? Do I have that right?