Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wanderingsalsero]

I'm in the process of getting my new contract signed at the middle school (GEPIK) where I work in Suwon. I'm confident that they want me(i.e. my school) but my supervisor mentioned just now that she'd talked to somebody (in Suwon GEPIK I think....or maybe in our PS administration) about the funding for my salary and the comment was made that the funding hadn't actually been done yet.

Point being......if the funding doesn't come through, then I won't have a job. That raises a couple of questions in my mind:

First.....we were going to sign my new contract today so I don't know if that means we'll put that off or if we'll go ahead and sign it but it won't be valid if the funding doesn't come through.

Secondly......how likely is it that the 'funding' might now come through?

I recall two possibly related facts:

1. I remember that at my previous school, at the very last minute they told me that they didn't have the funding to extend my contract. Thus the reason that they (graciously) only allowed me to extend an additional 6 months. With no pro-rated bonus of course. That caught me totally off guard because I hadn't made any contingent plans for other employment. It was after that 6 months that I got the job here.

2. That particular school, in Jingeon/Namyangju, was a very large school. About 1300-1500 students I think...although I also think it was one of those schools that would be classed as 'vocational' or.....for less than 'bright' students.
I was talking to a KET buddy of mine who's still there just the other day and I asked him if they'd gotten another FET yet. He said 'no'.
I thought that was kinda strange considering how big the school is and how, supposedly, important English is supposed to be to the Korean schools.
That makes me wonder if they also had a funding problem. Is that possible?

Anyway......notwithstanding the issue of when I'm going to actually sign my new contract. Apparently it won't be totally a guaranteed deal until the funding for my school comes through. So...I guess I need to impliment a contingency plan of some sort if I want to be assured of staying in Korea.

Any comments or info would be appreciated.

Regards,
Art

P.S. I've got a BME in Music Ed., a MIM (International Management), 2.5 years in Korea and good references.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Countrygirl]

And start calling other schools and making a back-up plan. It should speed up the process once other schools start calling and asking for references.

[wanderingsalsero]

I swear I wonder about these people's thought processes..

As I mentioned on, I think, another post, I have a Music Education degree. But apparently my supervising teacher and/or somebody in management wasn't aware of it. Or that's what my supervising teacher, who normally is a pretty OK gal, says.

Anyway....we're talking about salary today when I noticed in the contract they prepared for me to sign that it stipulates my new pay grade as 2.2 mil KW.

So we proceeded to have a friendly discussion about all the elements in the pay formula. They were giving me credit for my Masters and 2 years in Korea (I've been here 2.5) but not for having any kind of education degree......which would have hiked my pay up an additional 100,000 KW.

Then she tells me she didn't know I had an education degree. I said, of course, "Sure.....I got it!"

So she then says she'll call or check with ...whoever....to see about.....something.j

Next thing I know I come back into the office from being outside playing frisbee with the kids, that she'd talked to some schmuck in GEPIK who said that, 'no' a Music Education Degree didn't count....and/or unless I actually had a teacher's certificate.

I tried to explain to my supervisor (because that's the only person I had in front of me) that (1) in the US you don't normally have an actual teacher certificate (as in 'piece of paper') unless you're actually teaching somewhere, (2) most people who come over here with simply an education degree..that's all they have.....the degree itself. No actual teacher 'certificate'.

The whole frigging discussion was based on such absurdity as to almost be ridiculous. Regardless, I didn't seem to be getting anywhere with her and she seemed to indicate that no change/adjustment could be made in my proposed contract. So.....I just told her that I wouldn't be renewing.

But I'm wondering if this is something I could rectify through some other channels. Anybody got any ideas?

I know, I did talk to Dain Bay once before when my previous VP claimed he was supposed to keep my two diploma's ro 5 years. She made a call the same day and I was very appreciative and impressed that I got my diplomas back that same day.

Think I could do that again?

Regards,
Art

[Countrygirl]

School told me I didn't qualify for 1+ because part of my ESL work history wasn't in Korea . My handler even called some official who said it was GEPIK policy. Dain Bae set them straight.

[Xuanzang]

Not getting weaker. Someone is just siphoning off funds from the balance sheet.