Korean Job Discussion Forums

jhicks99 · Joined: 04 Mar 2009 Location: Seoul, South Korea

I've been teaching in Korea since October and up until now having everything has been great. The hours were reasonable, the pay was always on time, the school has helped remedy any problems with the apartment (which is quite large and right across the street from the school). However enrollment is down and the school has asked that all teachers stay on school property during our break-time. Every day I have several 30-40 (and sometimes 80+) minute breaks.

Can they enforce this? I'm at the minimum number of working hours per session and we are asked to come in early to prep our classes (contractual obligation)... however nowhere in our contracts are we obligated to take our breaks (essentially unpaid time) at the school. Suddenly days feel much, MUCH longer. It's a great school and although we have a new boss, she's a really great person and I'm quite sure this decision was handed to her from above. What really bothers me is that the school stated that we are their "property" during working hours... seems like a ridiculous statement to me.

Any help or experiences how people handled similar situations would be great.

I should note that it's a private academy in Seoul I'm teaching at, there's 7 foreigners and while people are extremely angry no one seems to be doing anything about it.

poet13 · Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 5:15 pm Post subject:

Check what your contract says. If it say nothing then you should maybe think about it in terms of balancing their needs with yours. If a teacher is late, or gets sick before a class, someone needs to be there to fill in. On the other hand, if you need to go to the bank or something, and you don't have a class, you should be able to let someone know when you'll be back. Your meal times are your own though unless you agreed to eat with the little buggers. Ahhh, you want to go back to your apartment.... dunno...why don't you try talking to them?

Dodgy Al · Joined: 15 May 2004 Location: Seoul

QbertP · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Location: Seoul

If you were at a public school I'd say screw am and just don't expect to be resigned, but since your at an academy you'll probly get canned at the least convienent moment. Bring in some video games or books, study korean, or browse the web, or sleep. All these are valid when leaving the school is not an option.

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

My former hagwon tried to keep that rule but then it just slipped to the wayside. I'd go out for food or to Emart to buy drinks, snacks. Times are different now though so it could be used a fireable offence.

maingman · Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Location: left Korea

A job I had, at a Private HS, beginning October 2007 (not september I will add !) meant I had to ask my co -teachr if I wanted to go off site for lunch for them to ask the Vice Principal

this I thought was feckin ridiculous Sad

nomad-ish · Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:33 pm Post subject:

it says somewhere in the labour law that you get at least a 30 min. recess period every 4 hours, which you can use as you like. i don't have the link on my work computer, sorry

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

sarbonn · Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Location: Michigan

I get told the same thing at the place where I work. I rarely listen. I leave earlier than everyone each night because I'm not going to sit in a teacher's room doing nothing for three hours straight with nothing to do. I was hired here because of my credentials and my field of expertise (which isn't English teaching), so I don't feel giving in to something like this is the right thing to do.

poet13 · Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 7:41 pm Post subject:

"A job I had, at a Private HS, beginning October 2007 (not september I will add !) meant I had to ask my co -teachr if I wanted to go off site for lunch for them to ask the Vice Principal "

I wonder how long they would require it if you presented a 20 page bullet point proposal needing signatures for each bullet point?...in triplicate of course.

jhicks99 · Joined: 04 Mar 2009 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Thanks for your responses guys. As I have a few friends visiting at the end of the month (and will be using my place to stay) I don't want to jeopardize their accommodations.

My plan will be to stick it out for March (play a lot of Nintendo DS at my desk) and sometimes slip away leaving my coat on my seat and an open book at my table (extended washroom break woohoo... what I'm doing in the can isn't their business right?) and then after my buddies leave I'll take issue with it. I can say that I was fair and reasonable and despite the fact that they are essentially holding me hostage for unpaid time I gave it a chance and it's not working and we'll take it from there. I seem to be well liked by the students and can't walk down the hall without some little kinder attaching themself to my leg so hopefully the school will think twice before letting me go. My contract does state that they have to formally warn me about any misconduct prior to firing me but it seems as if they haven't even read my contract to begin with.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Can't help with the hogwan situation, but at SMOE, it's up to your principal if you can leave during lunch. The contract is for 8 hours a day, so they can keep you on campus, but if they don't care, lunch is your time to whatever, on or off campus.

In any situation, it shows the power-trip and/or small esteem size of a director or principal that makes a teacher stay on campus when they are on lunch or on break.

Tobias · Joined: 02 Jun 2008

cruisemonkey · Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 10:13 pm Post subject:

The bottom line is - they can if they're paying you... so it depends on how your contract is worded.

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

I can go to the post office or out to buy a drink during my downtime at public school. I guess I should be grateful for small favours.