Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SelanneMN]

I have been working at the same school since 2006. My starting salary was 2,000,000 and is currently 3,200,000. Since 2007, I have received a 100,000 a month raise each year. In addition, I was asked back in 2007 to become the Head Teacher and received an additional 400,000 a month raise.

My contract ends in a few days and I overheard I will not receive the 100,000 raise this year, nor will I receive the 400,000 a month incentive, but yet I will remain the Head Teacher. One of the reasons I chose to become the Head Teacher in 2007 was because of the fact I would be receiving more pay for taking on a position with more responsibility, etc...

I'm ok if I don't receive a raise, but is it legal or acceptable to not have to pay the 400,000 won a month but still have me remain in the as the Head Teacher? He wants to delete that section in my new contract that states that the Head Teacher will receive the 400,000 additional payment each month. (In fact, he had it deleted in the middle of my contract last year, yet I was told I would still receive it, and I did receive it. I didn't question at that time as I was still receiving the correct payment.)

Also, I read online something about an employer cannot reduce your salary more than one-tenth of your total wages. Is this correct? It appears I would be losing ~13% of my total wages if 400,000 is going to be deducted.

FYI... I want to stay as the Head Teacher and remain at my current salary. My boss and I have had no previous arguments, issues or problems of any kind. To my knowledge, I am the only one that has been asked to take a pay deduction, but perhaps it's because my contract just happens to be the first to end in January.

On another note, I am still receiving 14 vacation days each year, the exact same as when I started in 2006. I don't miss much work and rarely call in sick. Am I entitled to more vacation time or only what is stated in my contract? I read on the labor act that additional days should be given to those employees that work there for so long and haven't missed a certain percentage of time in a year.

Just wondering if anyone could add a little insight to the above for me, please. I greatly appreciate any help you can provide.

Thanks

[mandrews1985]

[Cave Dweller]

Wow, that is dedication to stay at the same school for so long.

I don't think the 400,000 not being given counts as a salary cut, but more of a loss of a bonus.

If you accept not getting a raise, so be it. If you in fact have your head teacher bonus cut, make sure you don't do any head teacher duties. If those duties come across your desk, politely refuse them and say 'Those are the duties of the head teacher. That is not me.'

I also find it strange that you seem to have no solid info and have not already hammered out a new contract. Maybe your boss wants to treat you like a Canadian public school teacher and keep working you without a contract for as long as possible.

[SelanneMN]

Thanks a lot for the reply and sorry for any confusion.

I overheard from my boss, not our main boss (or director I should say) about the 400,000 deduction and no raise. Actually, my boss told me that he hasn't even renewed his contract and his ended sometime in mid December.

Over the past 8 years or so, I have renewed my contract within a few days before or even after the date it ended. We really don't have any renewal period.

I hope I don't sound like I'm being greedy in anyway about losing some of my wages, but I am married with 2 kids and do have 2 mortgages to pay for. Any decrease in pay is definitely impacting not only me, but my family as well.

Regarding the vacation days, there was a teacher that worked with us from 2006~2012. Right before she quit, she found out that she was entitled to some extra vacation days for working with the company for so long and not missing much time on the job. She ended up receiving money instead of the vacation days, because she had left the company by the time things were all settled through an arbitrator. When she told me about the outcome, I asked my boss if I was entitled to some extra vacation days. He simply told me not to worry about it. I haven't asked since and it's been a couple years now. I only thought of the vacation issue as something to possibly mention when I meet with my director this week. If he feels he has to lower my wages, then I think it's only fair that they provide me with extra vacation days, if I am entitled to them that is. I'm not trying to ask for more than what I deserve or have earned, but at the same time, why do I feel like I have to fight for those vacation days if they are obligated to give them to me by law. If a former coworker received them in the form of money, than certainly a current employee who has worked there much longer than her should receive them.

Our school allows us 14 vacation days, which half are chosen by us and the others by the school. We work weekends, Christmas, New Years, pretty much every holiday except for Chuseok and the Asian New Year. We do receive a 50,000 bonus if you work on the holiday.

Anyways, I was just kind of curious if there is any truth to what I read about an employer not being able to lower ones wages more than 10% of their total salary, and what the rules or laws are about earning extra vacation days for being a long-time employee with very few absences. I can't remember where I read that, but I was hoping maybe someone else had.

Do you think the Seoul Global Center is worth calling about the above paragraph? I've never really had to look for assistance regarding work related issues.

Thanks again for the insight....I do appreciate it.

[mandrews1985]