Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jeonjugirl]

I wonder if anyone else is in my position.

5.5 yrs ago, our university switched us from Visiting Professor (E-2) to Non-tenure track faculty positions (E-1). We were told very little about the new contracts, until they were given to us to sign the day before school started. The contract included a clause that said that it was a 2-yr contract, with extensions up to 6 yrs total. When we signed the contract, we were all under the assumption that after working somewhere in Korea for at least 5 years, you were basically a permanent employee, unless you do something illegal or immoral. So we were told not to worry about the 6 yr limit.

Just found out that the government is considering allowing universities to let their 6-yr non-tenure track faculty go, despite the 5 yr rule. My university hasn't made it clear whether or not our jobs are safe.

Is anyone else out there in the same position? (I think this non-tenure track faculty system started at the same time everywhere.) Has anyone been told what their university plans to do about it?

[OculisOrbis]

Your job was never safe. It was only as good as the length of your contract (2 yrs). In addition, you could be replaced or let go at anytime (with at least 30 days notice) during that 2 year period. Contracts dont have to be renewed to you and if the position were to remain, it doesnt mean they have to offer it to you.

BTW E-2 is the foreign language instructor visa and E-1 is the visiting professor visa.

[naturegirl321]

OP, how did your uni transfer you to an E1? Ours says that it's impossible.

[jeonjugirl]

OculisOrbis - I think you didn't finish reading my post. This is not an issue of a 2-yr contract. It's an issue of Korean labor law either being ignored or being changed.

I have worked at the same university for 8 years. Several of my colleagues have been here longer. There's supposed to be a 5-yr rule, that if you last that long, and they've rehired you that many times, it means they feel you are good enough. After that, they aren't supposed to be able to fire you without just cause. If this is changing, everyone should be worried.

Oh, and E-1 is not the standard visa for visiting professors. Most of those I've known are on E-2s. E-1 is usually for faculty positions, and for those teaching in university positions that aren't general language programs.


naturegirl - We were switched 5.5 years ago. If I remember correctly, immigration switched us in country, but on the condition that we do a visa run during our next trip out of country. (There were about 15 of us, so they didn't force us all to do visa runs on the spot.) However, since then, I'm not sure if more recent hires have been given E-1s. The topic of visas hasn't really come up.

[youtuber]

OP,

You speak of Korean labour law but you "assume" there is a 5 year rule. Personally, I have never heard of this rule and doubt it exists.

Jobs in Korea are precarious and people (Koreans and foreigners) get fired/laid off all the time. Fresh young faces are the order of the day, especially for ESL.

If you are comparing this to the West, in the West (in Canada anyways), you can be fired without just cause. The employer just has to pay some severance pay.

[TECO]

[Stan Rogers]

Sounds like they want to clean house. Unfortunately, some universities do this. There are lots of reasons why they do this, and I doubt they will ever tell you the real reason why. Chances are it has to do with money, but that's only speculation.

You are not being fired, you are just not being renewed. As a contract worker, you have a contract and the contract has a starting and a completion date. Those are the terms and you and your collegues are just going to have to accept that.

Please don't take what I'm saying the wrong way. I've seen this type of situation play out before. Fighting with the Koreans will get you no where. If they don't want to renew your contract, I suggest you move on.

[Satchel Paige]

[naturegirl321]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[languistic]

[naturegirl321]

I have also heard rumors about the five year rule. BUt more often than not I see contracts that are one or two years and have caps as well. It might be personal. Yeungnam got rid of a whole bunch of teachers a couple years ago. That's just the way things are.

As to good looking people. That's probably why plastic surgery is so popular here.

[languistic]

[naturegirl321]

Not sure, I-ve been living in the world of TEFL so long it's hard to tell fact from fiction

Anyways, jsut look at the double eyelid surgery, it's something like 80%, that's what my postdoc plastic surgeon designer told me in class. You don't get that in the WEst, do you?

[languistic]