Korean Job Discussion Forums

VanishingBoy · Joined: 11 Jan 2011

I'm hoping to get some advice from more experienced teachers on breaking a contract in Korea.

I recently accepted a GEPIK position in Korea through a recruiter. I arrived yesterday and this will be my fourth year working here. The main reason that I accepted this position was the lengthy vacation time. I told my recruiter that I was hoping to find a decent paying job with lots of vacation time. When I received the contract via email and it didn't exactly match what the recruiter was telling me, I enquired. She told me that the contract was the same for all GEPIK teachers and that each school had its own policies and differences. Perhaps foolishly, I signed it. Now I'm back in Korea and have discovered that the vacation time promised by my recruiter simply doesn't exist. Do I have any recourse here? I have all of the emails sent to me by my recruiter, in which I was repeatedly assured that the vacation time would be as promised. I did, however, sign the contract. I would like to break this contract in order to find a more suitable job elsewhere in Korea. Is this possible? My experiences here have been overwhelmingly positive. Perhaps that's partly why I was so willing to trust my recruiter. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou.

YTMND · Joined: 16 Jan 2012 Location: You're the man now dog!!

How many contracts did you sign? You know you should be signing more than 1, right?

Next, did you actually give your passport to them to process the visa? If not, just tell them something came up and you can't take the job. Find another recruiter.

If you did get a visa, then I think you have to wait 90 days before it expires, unless they have eased up on the restrictions. Look into the possibility of changing it to a D10 if necessary.

VanishingBoy · Joined: 11 Jan 2011

thanks for the reply. yes, i signed multiple contracts. as i said, i'm in korea now so i do have a visa. i don't know if i should try to break the contract now or wait. i don't have my arc yet. i haven't received my flight reimbursement yet. i just arrived yesterday...

Troglodyte · Joined: 06 Dec 2009

VanishingBoy · Joined: 11 Jan 2011

i have not applied for my arc yet. can you please explain what you mean in further detail Troglodyte? I don't quite understand.

hogwonguy1979 · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: the racoon den

i'm sorry but if this is your 4th year working here you should know that recruiters lie through their teeth to get people here.

also if you've read this board for any length of time you know gepik has the same vacation time no matter where you were hired. you may be able to negoit more time (instead of deskwarming) if your principal is a nice person but i wouldnt bet on it

VanishingBoy · Joined: 11 Jan 2011

no need to apologize hogwonguy. ive never had trouble with a recruiter before this. im asking for advice on my current situation. no, i haven't followed this forum for long and have never been employed by gepik before. if you posted simply to say, 'you should know better' - perhaps you're right but it doesn't help me in the least.

YTMND · Joined: 16 Jan 2012 Location: You're the man now dog!!

soomin · Joined: 18 Jun 2009 Location: Daegu

Since you signed the contract, you have nothing on your side. As far as the school is concerned, they told you the truth and you read and signed the paperwork. The recruiter is just a middle man who can disappear at any time and who can't and won't help you should there be a dispute...

Also, GEPIK offers the most vacation time... they say

"Vacation time is 20 days instead of the common 14 days offered in other public schools, or 10 days offered in private schools"

I've always gotten 10 days or less... so, what exactly are you looking for? It might be something that just doesn't exist. Why don't you see how things go and if there are any other reasons for you to leave before you start going through the hassle of breaking a contract

Soldier · Joined: 21 Oct 2011

Whoa...Isn't signing a contract enforceable and signing more than one going to get one in trouble? Or, are they still about as enforceable as a double wink, a spin, and a pinky swear? Perhaps the visa is the determining factor.

I think I've been living in the west too long where a contracts exists when there is an offer and acceptance and both parties sign it. I know here if there is a breech, then you can walk away. Sounds difficult to do that as a teacher, but no so for the school owner.

I don't know for certain, just guessing.