Korean Job Discussion Forums

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

That's my question.

I have a contract with a base monthly salary. Anything over 120 classes a month is overtime. This month there are 22 workweek days, 3 of which are national holidays. Since these days are paid, and I have 6 regular classes in each of those days, Monday to Friday, shouldn't they be counted in my total hours?

I've gotten word that I'm supposed to be paid for my vacation days. The classes I would've taught those days count in my total hours. But I was informed that it isn't the same case for the national holidays. I told them that those count just the same. I wasn't talking directly with the owner about this, but I think it must've been communicated to her.

What's your take on this?

ontheway · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:36 am Post subject:

This seems to be the standard Korean way of computing overtime. According to posts by public school teachers, it is done there as well.

So, although you are "paid" for holidays, those hours do not count when computing overtime.

So, if you normally have 6 hours of overtime, but you have a one day holiday when you didn't work 6 hours, you get paid for the holiday, but those hours you didn't work don't count when adding up your overtime.

The result, of course, is that you end up working your extra 6 hours for free, which means you have repaid your employer for the holiday.

Nice system.

If you find a good job, your employer will count your unworked holiday hours in computing overtime and you will find language in the contract that promises to calculate overtime this way. Many of us would call this the "correct" way, but it is different in the Korean culture, even though it sure seems like cheating.

Check your contracts for terms regarding overtime calculation before you sign.

the ireland · Joined: 11 May 2008 Location: korea

we always got paid our base salary, plus our overtime if we worked it, even if the national holiday was thrown in.

we had to teach most classes 12 times per monthly session, so if we had 5 days off in January these classes would get rolled over into the next month but still be classed as the same session, and this would keep going until finally the sessions went back into one calendar month.

ontheway · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:38 am Post subject:

the ireland · Joined: 11 May 2008 Location: korea

hagwonnewbie · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Location: Asia

Don't expect to get overtime pay from a hagwon if you don't work over the required number of hours in a given calendar month.

Lessons to be learned:
-Don't work overtime in a month with holidays or vacation.
-Try not to take sick days during months when you work overtime.
-Don't take a vacation the same week that has paid national holidays.

Before the payday, tell your boss what you have calculated for overtime.

When you schedule a vacation, it doesn't hurt to make up some story like, "My brother is getting married and I'm in the wedding on such and such a date 3 months from now, so I have to be there. No exceptions." I recommend scheduling a vacation in late spring or early fall. Travelling tends to be cheaper, less hectic and more enjoyable at those times.

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!