Korean Job Discussion Forums

[xCustomx]

My contract is scheduled to finish at the end of February next year. I've got it written in my contract that all of January and February is vacation time, except for about 8 days in February when the students come back for graduation. I plan to move back to America after the contract, but I'd rather move back at the end of December, instead of sitting around here for two months while I wait. I have no teaching responsibilities after December, so would it be unreasonable to ask to be paid for January and February, plus severence and my plane ticket, minus 8 days of pay for the days in February that I wouldn't be here?

[ThingsComeAround]

It depends. Do you like your school? Is it fair to say that you and your handler and principal are on 'good terms'? If so, there are two options available to you.

1) you could make the announcement early and help them find a native speaker for their replacement of your position. I would recommend this if you are REALLY cool with your work environ, maybe they won't shaft you with your early departure

2) you could not say anything until Xmas time, then leave for a 'family emergency'. you will have a greater chance of losing your pension, however they may be more sympathetic to you because of your reason.

Its a gut feeling for you, but I think #2 helps the school save face should you go

[Otherside]

Yes it's a reasonable request, then again, it's equally reasonable for the school to say no.

The idea of getting 3 months (jan+feb+severence) + an airticket for 8 days work and then trying to get out of the 8 days work while still keeping 95% of the pay is a bit slimy. If my teacher came up with that idea, I'd politely decline, if he pushed it...I'd give him his notice with his last working day being the last school day of December^^

[Countrygirl]

The girl before me left one day early and the woman in charge of the money wasn't going to give her her severence. My co-teacher begged her to give the severence (I think it was partly my co-teacher's fault) and in the end they did give it to her. Basically if the school gets audited they get in trouble.

I've also read other threads here where the teacher had to be in town on the last day of the contract to receive severence.

Best to ask GEPIK directly. Sometimes even co-teachers don't know this info if this is the first time they have this situation.

[xCustomx]

[JJJ]

If you get that, then PM me the name of the school because that would be a dream school and I want to work there.

Wow, I think that's a hell of a request. Yeah, of course I know you would like to go home early but I guess you should have thought about the 8 or 9 sleepy closing ceremony days in Feb. before you made this wicked deal. That's the deal you made, so enjoy a couple months on the beach, come back, say good-bye and then fly home.

Anyhow, good luck.

[Otherside]

[alphakennyone]

I'll go out on a limb and say "no chance."

[CentralCali]

Here's what I think the only thing that's going to be accomplished is: yet another wave of mandatory desk-warming for all foreign teachers in that province.

The OP is failing to realize that technically they do have "teaching responsibilities" (to use their term) during the school breaks. What happens in my province is that all the teachers, including me, request permission to be away from school to work on lesson materials and lesson plans. The principal then approves that. This is for the time not covered by the Winter vacation period permitted by the contract.