Korean Job Discussion Forums

[keiran]

Hey there,
I just received a contract from a Wonderland school in Daegu, thought I'd ask some people to look it over. Not too sure about the duration, 12 sessions seems kinda vague. Also it says the director assigns two hours lessons plan time prior too class... is it just me or does that seem insane?


WONDERLAND
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR TEACHER

First YEAR CONTRACT
Effective

This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT has been made this
,2010 by
and between Wonderland Junior English School with its principal office
at:
567-16, Shinmae-dong, Susung-gu, Daegu, Korea (hereinafter referred to
as the "Employer") and
, a citizen of
, passport no:
(hereinafter referred to as
the Teacher"). The teacher is hereby hired by the Employer and both
parties agree on the following terms and conditions:

1. PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT

a. The total Agreement term is approximately one year, commencing from
the date of arrival in Korea and finishing on the last teaching day of
the teacher's twelfth teaching session.

b. The term of this Agreement includes twelve (12) full
consecutive teaching sessions, and all scheduled vacations
holidays that fall between or during teaching sessions.

c. The teacher agrees to discontinue residence in Korea under the visa
status sponsored by employer within five days of completion of this
employment.

2. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The teacher's work shall consist primarily of the following:

a. EFL instruction in any and all phases of the Institute's program to
classes that range from the Preschool to High school
b. Curriculum design and implementation
c. Development of educational program and materials
d. Out-of-classroom activities for/with students
e. Grading and evaluation of students
f. Student counseling or evaluation
g. Attendance at teachers' meetings and workshops
h. Other related activities

3. DUTIES OF TEACHER

a. During the term of this Agreement, the teacher shall cooperate, and
comply with the instructions, training and supervision of the Academic
Supervisor and shall carry out such assignments as directed by the
Academic Supervisor. These duties shall include the instructional
program, related to the teacher's classroom duties, attendance at
scheduled staff meetings and workshops, and any additional duties
may be assigned by the Academic Supervisor. The Academic Supervisor
is responsible for establishing and communicating the Standards of

, 2010

and
and

Performance as related to the above-mentioned duties.

b. The Academic Supervisor shall also assign the teacher some duties
such as lesson preparation time for two hours prior to the class.
At all times during the term of this contract, males will wear ties
and females will wear dresses or dressy pant suits (unless otherwise
instructed).

4. SALARY & OVER TIME

A monthly salary of 2,100,000 won will be guaranteed for 120 teaching
hours per monthly session (1 hour is 60 minutes). This salary will be
paid on the tenth (10th) day of the following month. Each teaching
hour in excess of 120 teaching hours is considered as Overtime. The
overtime pay will be 18,000 won per hour. Attendance at scheduled
staff meetings and workshops (which is mandatory-no pay) cannot be
considered as Overtime.

5. WORKING HOURS

During the term of this Agreement, the teacher shall be required to
work well and closely with the Academic Supervisor each week from
Monday to Friday, at the times the Academic Supervisor shall direct.

6. TRANSPORTATION

The Employer will purchase for the teacher an economy class ticket
from the closest international airport of point of hire to Korea.
After completing the one-year contract the teacher will be provided a
return ticket. If the teacher goes out to the other countries except
home country, the teacher will be paid US $400 as a return ticket. In
the event that the teacher will fully leaves the school before his/her
contract is over, the school will not be responsible for the return
ticket. If the teacher willfully leaves the school before 6 months,
the teacher must payback the initial airfare or the school may deduct
the amount of airfare from the teacher's last payment.

7. ORIENTATION TIME

After arrival in Korea, teachers may be allowed a few days for
adjustment and school orientation before beginning regular teaching
duties. The orientation days will be spent in the institute preparing
for classes and learning the instructional system.

8. MEDICAL INSURANCE

The teacher will be covered by medical benefits under the Korean
Medical Insurance Union, a private health organization. The costs
of this coverage will be borne half by the Employer and half by the
teacher. Payment will be made by deduction from the teacher's salary,
at present 3.3%, and alike amount contributed by the Employer.

9. HOUSING

The School shall provide furnished single one-room studio apartment.
Furnishings provided by the Employer include; comforter, pillow,
television, bed, kitchen table, chairs, two-burner gas hot plate,
refrigerator, wardrobe, telephone, and washing machine, Selection of
apartments will be made by the Employer. The cost of monthly service,
utility, and telephone charges for the accommodation provided will be
paid by the teacher. In the case of a shared apartment, costs will be
shared by both teachers. For the first three months, the Employer will
collect 200,000 Won per month deposit for utilities and phone charges
even if the teacher pays these charges each month. This deposit will
be refunded two months after the completion of this contract.

10. SEVERANCE PAYMENT

Upon completion of this one-year contract, the teacher will receive
one additional basic salary of 2,100,000 won as a severance payment
in accordance with Korean Labor Laws. This payment will be made at
the time of completion of the contract period and income tax will be
withheld from this payment.

11. VACATION & NATIONAL HOLIDAYS

Teachers will follow the Wonderland vacation schedule. The teacher
will observe holidays as scheduled by the Employer and detailed in a
yearly calendar provided with this contract.

12. DISMISSAL OR VOLUNTARY RESIGNATION

a. The Employer will have the right to dismiss the teacher in case of
neglecting his/her duties under this Agreement, including but not
limited to, frequent absences from the Place of Employment without the
approval of the Academic Supervisor, or receiving reprimand letter
twice, or manifesting inability to perform the duties stated under
this Agreement.
Prior to any such dismissal, the teacher will be warned of
dissatisfaction with performance and will be afforded at least twenty
(20) working days in which to remedy the same. Criminal or other
conduct that has been clearly substantiated inside or outside the
Place of Employment and that would, in the opinion of the Academic
Supervisor and the Employer, seriously jeopardize any student or staff
person, or the reputation of the Employer, will be cause for immediate
dismissal and neither warning nor time for remedy will be allotted.

b. Teachers will not be allowed to teach private lessons outside of
the place of employment without permission of the Employer. Such
action is grounds for immediate dismissal. In this case, the Employer
will not pay the teacher return ticket and severance payment.

13. GOVERNING LAW & JURISDICTION

This Agreement will
Republic of Korea.

be

governed

by

the

appropriate

laws

of

the

* Teaching sessions and vacations and holidays (according to the
Wonderland session calendar) can be viewed in the "Job Opportunity"
section of our web site at: http://www.wonderland.or.kr.

In witness thereof, we have affixed our signatures hereon.

____________________________
_____________________________
Employer�s signature
Employee�s signature

____________________________
Date

_____________________________
Date

[Troglodyte]

Post it in the contract review thread.

[hogwonguy1979]

this make thread number 7,543,712,539,362 on wonderland and for the 7,543,712,539,362nd time we will say

DO NOT WORK AT WONDERLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PERIOD. END OF CONVERSATION!!!!

[Ramen]

What a wonderful contract.

Take the job before someone else does.

[tophatcat]

Do not work here! I know 2 people who worked there and never received there severance pay or their last month's pay. Both of these situations have been within the last year.

You have been warned!

[WadRUG'naDoo]

They pay you 2.1 and you have to wear a tie?

3.3% for private health. Yeah, right. Sounds like a made-up figure for a fictional health plan.

200,000 month deposit for the first 3 months that you get AFTER the contract is up. What? No deposit sounds better.

Vacation/National Holiday = Follow their schedule. Huh?

Wonderland No.

[bobbybigfoot]

If you agree to work for Wonderland then you will be deserving of every crooked act that will be conspired against you.

[CentralCali]

[AsiaESLbound]

I think this contract is severely substandard. I'd rather do a part time job at home just to minimally live while I searched for and patiently waited for something better vs. putting myself through a hellish unrewarding experience where the employer is only looking out for their own interests with no regard for their people.

Only $400 for return ticket if teacher goes to another country before going home. Cheap skates.

30 solid 60 minute hours of teaching per week with no specific amount of vacation time off stated in the contract? Nothing said about Saturdays and what the work week actually consists of. Wew! That's one exhausting year.

It specifically says you agree to leave Korea within 5 days of finishing work? That is a red flag indicating they intend to severely short your pay due in the end. No go for sure.

2.1m won a month? Too low.

Jobs are just going to be crappy and worsen if people actually fill them at contract standards this low. Unfortunately, young people who don't know any better are to be taken for an abusive run of their lives. During my teens and 20's I too was gullible enough to tolerate abuse. Young people tend to work extra hard trying to gain respect and experience, but it's common for employers just to exploit them and ditch them with nothing when they are no longer wanted. That is the same old repeated story I read out of this contract.

Keep looking and don't look back.

[keiran]

Sorry about posting in the wrong section
Yeah the contract grossed me out a little,
I thought i'd ask though, I just talked to a friend who says she knows someone who worked there and they also apparently got let go on the last month....

[curlyhoward]

[cheolsu]

I had an interview once with someone at a Wonderland school named Princess Bang.

[djz]