Korean Job Discussion Forums

[rt]

It is my understanding that one must be extended beyond 5 years at a privately owned school (be it a university or hagwon) before the school is required to pay any pension money (otherwise you just get your monthly contributions back). This is assuming that the school has opted out of the national pension plan (as most have)

I think this has been the case since the pension law was changed (from when all schools were required to belong to the national pension plan) several years ago.

People who were employed by privately owned schools at the time the law was changed were grandfathered in, but all teachers hired since that time must stay longer than5 years in order to get the pension contributions from the employer.

My question is: has anyone hired by a privately owned school (either hagwon or university)after the law was changed been renewed beyond 5 years, thus triggering the matching contributions from the employer? I don't know of any, and I suspect this is the reason people employed by privately owned schools aren't renewed beyond 5 years nowadays.

Your thoughts?

[ontheway]

[curiousaboutkorea]

[ontheway]

[rt]

So nobody has been allowed to stay longer than 5 years at a private university?

[The Cosmic Hum]

[Juregen]

[rt]

An English speaking gentleman I spoke to recently at the Korea Private Teachers Pension Fund told me that you are entitled (under the relatively new law which most, if not all, privately owned universities have opted to use) to receive matching contributions (from the university and the government) only if you stay for longer than 5 years at that employer (not cumulative over several private universities).

So I am just curious to know how many have been allowed to stay beyond the "magic" 5 year mark. Not too many I imagine, as this would automatically and immediately cost the university 25,000,000 - 30,000,000 won (immediately upon extending you beyond five years.)

I was just thinking it would be worthy of a formal complaint to the National Human Rights Commission (or even a class action law suit) if a pattern of discrimination (after the 5 year date passes) could be shown on the part of the private university owners.

[Goon-Yang]

I work at a private uni. PM me Dec/Jan and I'll know if I'll be here my 6th year

I've been told "no problem", but like any other foreigner I can't trust anything my boss says.

Wish me luck guys. I'm on an f visa, so I wonder if that means they have to hire me as a permanent worker (as Korean labour law states).

[TheUrbanMyth]

[rt]

Yes, back in the 1990's and early 2000's all unis were covered by the National Pension Plan, and English teachers got matching monthly pension contributions from the uni (mostly from the uni, but part of it came from the gov't). Plus we got a one month salary bonus paycheck for each year we stayed there at the uni. This worked out to an extra $4,000 per year or so (I left after 3 years and got almost $13, 000 in pension and bonus when I left Korea)

But all that changed a few years ago when the national assembly passed what amounts to a "private university owner relief act." This newish law now allows university owners to avoid having to contribute to the pension (and from having to pay the one month salary "bonus" for each year of service). All they have to is just not renew you beyond five years. Sweet deal for the university owners, eh?

[ajuma]

Well, I was at one uni for 6 years....when they decided that it was MUCH cheaper for them to hire a bunch of newbies and get rid of the teachers who had been there for 6-10 years! They then put a 5 year limit on all contracts!

My current uni tells us right up front that we can work a maximum of 6 years there. Not sure why 6, but they do have 2 year contracts.