Korean Job Discussion Forums

[minnesota]

Hi everyone,

I work for a hogwan. My coworker and I bought one-way tickets and got reimbursed according to the terms of the contract. However, as my coworkers contract came up, my boss made a big deal over the contract saying "round-trip." Since my boss wouldn't pay the full ticket price home, he didn't go home and started his new job. Apparently my boss gave him a minimal cash allowance. Is airfare a grey area or is this tricky business that can be brought to the authorities? Thanks.

PS. My school's enrollment is drowning due to administrative poor decision making, so this doesn't surprise me.

Feel free to PM me.

[jonpurdy]

[minnesota]

Yes, here is what it says in the airfare clause:

A. The School shall pay a reimbursement for the round-trip airfare that the Teach has already
paid, subject to the terms 14.B, and 14.C hereunder, so that the Teacher can come to Korea
at the beginning of the contract, and go back to the Teacher�s home country at the end of
the contract.
B. In case an airfare reimbursement is made, the Teacher must submit the original airplane
ticket (or a copy of an e-ticket purchase document) and the receipt to the School for proof
of his/her purchase of the ticket. Reimbursement is made in two steps: half of the airfare
shall be reimbursed after the Teacher completes the first four months of the contract period,
and the second half of the airfare shall be reimbursed only after the Teacher successfully
completes the contract term.
C. If the Teacher fails to fulfill the conditions of the contract, the airfare must be repaid by the
Teacher. For Teachers hired locally, upon faithful completion of the contract, the School shall
agree to pay either a one-way airplane ticket back home or a transportation allowance of
700,000 KRW upon leaving the position, whichever option the School decides to take.

[jonpurdy]

It seems like you were supposed to buy a round-trip ticket at the very beginning of your contract. Nobody really does that though since it's easier just to do one-way tickets closer to the dates.

I'd try and get the one-way reimbursed but it looks like you might have to settle for 700,000 instead.

[minnesota]

Yeah it's hard to know what's going to happen a year later, where you'll be or where you want to go. I've heard it's pretty common for schools to pay for one-ways without questioning anything, just buying the cheapest flight. Funny thing is they just said to get here ASAP - not saying anything about one-way/roundtrip. Thanks for the advice Jonpurdy! I guess I can work with 700,000 if worst comes to worse.