Korean Job Discussion Forums

NSMatt · Joined: 29 Dec 2008 Location: London

I am working for one of the big hagwon chains which will remain nameless for now.

We are entitled to 5 days of vacation in the summer term and 5 days in the winter. The school has just announced that our 5 day winter break will be during the Chinese New Year holiday which means that we are only really getting 2 paid vacation days plus three 'red/national holiday' days. Monday and Tuesday are the real vacation days and Wed-Fri are national holiday days.

FYI, my contract doesn't say that I get the 10 days plus national holidays but this is irrelevant. All employees in Korea are entitled to a minimum of 10 days PLUS national holidays. Keep in mind that every teacher at this large chain will be getting the same vacation.

So what should I do? Has anyone else here dealt with this kind of thing before?

cragesmure · Joined: 23 Oct 2010

Obviously, you are right. You are entitled to your 10 days plus national holidays. I've never had anything quite that effed up happen to me. In my first year, there was a Wednesday off for some national day, and the hagwon planned an overnight trip for Tuesday/Wednesday. I told my boss I wouldn't go being that Wed was a holiday. She tried to force me to go, but I just told her flat out that it wasn't going to happen. She ended up saying that if I went on the trip I could have Thursday off work, so I agreed. This was a place where I was the only foreign teacher. I got some evil looks from the Korean teachers come Friday - I guess they all missed out on their holiday.
I know the two situations aren't exactly comparable. But I'd talk to the other teachers. Get everyone else on the same page. Let your boss know what's what and stick to your guns. If you find yourself the only one willing to stand up for your rights and you don't want the hassle of beating your head against a wall/legal action, I'd just call in "sick" Monday-Wednesday of the following week.

interestedinhanguk · Joined: 23 Aug 2010

cragesmure · Joined: 23 Oct 2010

I beg your pardon - I misread that 3rd paragraph. If it doesn't say explicitly in your contract that you get 10 days off PLUS national holidays, I don't know that you are legally entitled to it.

Junior · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Location: the eye

Unfortunately its an employers market..and workplace abuses are on the rise.
'If you don't do it, there are 1000 other applicants who will' Rolling Eyes

NSMatt · Joined: 29 Dec 2008 Location: London

MalFSU1 · Joined: 27 Jan 2009

Last year they counted a holiday and the weekend as part of my vacation so I pretty much lost out on 3 days in my mind. I called the provincial office and unless your contract specifically says "working days" they are within the law to count holidays and weekends.

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

DeMayonnaise · Joined: 02 Nov 2008

Public schools baby!!!! 2.5 weeks of vacation in SE Asia here we come!

Laughing

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

rowdie3 · Joined: 22 Sep 2003 Location: Itaewon, Seoul

As far as I know, there are no days off for Christmas this year except Saturday and Sunday. Am I missing something?

http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/south_korea/2010.asp

It's common for hagwons to include weekend days off in the day off count. Not fair but that's the way they do it. In my first year my '5 day' vacation consister of Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Needless to say I was not thrilled, but that's the way it is in Korea.

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

dumpring · Joined: 06 Apr 2010 Location: Auckland, NZ

I hear ya.

My Hakwon stipulated 7 days vacation and I was told by the teacher who I replaced that he had both a summer and winter break.
Anyway, we had 3 days off over summer and when asking about my winter vacation I was told that the 3 days off for Chuseok was our Winter break!

I asked then why the previous teacher had time off over winter, and they told me it was an exception because his family came to visit.

Naturally, was proper fuming about that, as I felt I had been completely misled. Complained a fair deal to the manager who rang the person who wrote my contract (I work at a big chain too) and said person advised my manager to give me those other 4 days off at my request in Winter.

I probably did a bit of damage to my relationship with the place, but there was no way in hell I would've taken the job it if said I would be eligible for what I deemed to be 3 days vacation.

This was what was written in my contract-

a). The "employee" will receive 7 paid vacations not including Saturday and Sunday per year in the school's vacation period.

After re-reading it, I doubt i'd have had a case legally. But I am the only foreign teacher here he probably guessed I would have left out of spite if he didn't give me my "7 vacations".

Just a warning to all prospective hakwon teachers. Confirm when your vacation days will be, and whether they all actually during the national holidays or not.

Goodluck OP!

PigeonFart · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

Yes, that is definitely a "rip off" as you stated. Unethical and sly. That would piss me off too.

If i owned a hogwon, i would write a DETAILED contract with no ambiguity because i would have a sense of honour and decency in relation to my employees. That's why these sly schisters are always ambigous and trying to move the goal posts.

As for what you should do?....It's too hard for me to say what you should do because everyone is in a different situation. I hope that you all put up a fight and get your days off. Some solidarity between english teachers would be a great thing.

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

you have only two options:

1. take it up the ass and drive on.

2. fight back.

which is it? Razz