Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hepopotato]

Hi there. My boss here in Gwang-Ju said that they would like me to stay on for another year working with them. They said that they are willing to pay me more money and offer me more holidays, what should I ask for? I am currently making 1.8 million and have 10 holidays plus national holidays. Thanks for any input!

[Skippy]

Your boss may be trying to save money and will not pay out much in the end.

But ask for a much better raise like 200,000 to 400,000.

Don't ask for a plane ticket. Your boss saves money on you in the end. No plane ticket to pay for. No visa trip just a trip to your local immigration department. No fees or hassels with consulates or embassies. His student know you and may love you. You are already intigrated into the community.

As to holidays ask for more. Try to see if you can get it around when the slow season is for him. Like winter vacation and summer vacation.

Are you getting weekdays or are you teaching Saturdays. Try not to teach Saturdays or if you do ask for overtime pay.

Good Luck on the Negotiating

Skippy the Evil Twin

[Teach]

I've just completed my first contract here, in Gyeong-ki do. I'm currently making 2 Million and 18,000 O/T. I want to ask for more money when I re-sign, what's reasonable--I'm thinking about 2.2 Million and 20,000 O/T.
My school is moving locations the same month my new contract will commence so my roommate and I want to ask for at least a 15 Pyong apartment, as opposed to the 10.5 Pyong we currently have. Is this something that could feasibly be written into the contract?
Should I ask for more vacation time? I currently have 10 days plus national holidays. What's a reasonable number of additional vacation days to ask for?
Is there anything I'm forgetting? Thanks in advance for the advice.

[gajackson1]

This is the kind of thing that frustrates me - it is not the teachers fault per se; you all just need to be informed of your rights under the ministry of Labor.

EVERYONE is entitled to 10 days of PAID vacation for each year worked, and this has to be increased by at least 1 day for each additional year of employment. (If you have missed less than 1 day in 10, you are entitled to 8 days paid leave).

National holidays are always OFF - if you are made to work, they have to pay +50% overtime pay. ANY overtime has to be at least 50% of your base hourly pay, BY LAW. So, just do the math on that one.

Go to www.molab.go.kr, then English, then Law & Regulations, then LABOR STANDARDS ACT. A long read, but worth its weight in gim-chi. MoL law ALWAYS supercedes individual contracts!!!

Regards, & fight the good fight

Glen

ps - as for renegotiation, private housing, or a much bigger place (I am in an 18+ pyoung apt. by myself), increased salary, preferential scheduling, and/or more holidays. Basically, make a list of priorities.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[igotthisguitar]

>. Thinking of signing on for a 2nd year are you ??? Hmmmmmmm ... well here's a rough copy of something i've been working on at home tonight. Thought you might be interested in looking it over. If you're so inclined, feel free to copy, paste & edit at your leisure.

I'm currently working on picking up my second year job elsewhere here in as well, yet am not exactly sure what kinda gig i'll be doing & at what level.

I found the last contract i signed really held a lot over my head as employee. Obviously i'm hoping this time around to turn the tables a little bit & take it from there re : "negotiating" etc ...

All the best



Employment Contract
POSITION: English Language Instructor

EMPLOYER EMPLOYEE
School�s Name: _________________________ Employee�s Name: ����
Address: Address:
______________________________

(Hereafter to be referred to as the Employer) (Hereafter to be referred to as the Employee)

The parties agree as follows:
TERMS OF CONTRACT
i ) This contract will be valid for a period of 12 months beginning / / 2003 and ending / 07 / 2004.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
i ) The Employee will act in an appropriately professional manner and be responsible for conducting
professional English Language classes.
ii ) The Employee will be required to work his or her regularly scheduled hours from Monday to Friday
( no Saturdays or Sundays except at the Employee�s discretion), with a full 25 working hours per week and
100 thereby per month. ( The teaching hours mentioned means actual hours the Employee is
expected & required to be in attendance at the school ).
iii ) While in attendance at the school, the marking of report cards & tests, lessoning planning, staff meetings
and the like shall be included as part of Employee's overall teaching hours.
iv ) The Employer is for their part required to provide the Employee with a brief orientation and training program
before starting Employment.
v ) The Employer will promptly deal with problem students in a direct professional and effective manner.
In the event students continue to misbehave & disrupt the presentation of the school's English language classes,
the Employee reserves the right to withhold his or her services until such time whereby more completely effective
action is taken.

SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE EMPLOYER
1. PAYMENT
1.1 The Employer will pay a monthly salary of W2,300,000 ( less deductions ) for regularly scheduled hours worked.
( Payment of salary commences the first day of teaching )
1.2 Overtime ( i.e. anything in excess of five working hours per day ) The Employer may ask the Employee to work over time ( the Employee has an option to refuse and will not be forced ), and if the Employee chooses to do overtime, the Employer will pay a wage of W25,000 per hour.
1.3 Pay period begins on the first day and ends on the last day of each month and the monthly salary is to be made on 10th of the following month.
1.4 Income tax will be deducted from the Employee's monthly wages in accordance with Korean Tax Law
(currently 5% of gross salary).

2. HOUSING
2.1 The Employer will either provide the Employee a single furnished apartment at no cost to the Employee, with the exception of maintenance and phone bills, OR the employee will select his or her own accomodations. Regarding the latter, the employer will contribute W300,000 per month toward the employee's lodgings. The employee will be responsible for any excess difference in rent which may occur.

3. AIRFARE
3.1 A round-trip airfare (standard economy ticket) from the Employee�s designated city to Korea before departure will be provided only for the Employee who will be fulfilling a 12-month period and who has been hired outside of Korea.
3.2 In the event when the airfare is provided by the Employee before his or her departure, then half ( i.e 50% ) of the round-trip flight ticket or the one-way flight ticket to Korea from the Employee�s designated city will be reimbursed to the Employee who will be fulfilling a 12-month period after the issuance of an E-2 Visa from Korean Immigration Office.

4. MEDICAL INSURANCE
4.1 Two-thirds of the insurance premium will be paid by the Employer with the remaining portion the responsiblity of the Employee. ( Participation in a health plan is optional )
5. SEVERANCE PAY
5.1 The employee will be paid their due severance on a quarterly ( i.e once every 3 months ) basis.

6. VACATION
6.1 The Employee may use "X" working days as paid vacation per year ( days in which the Employee does not regularly work i.e. Saturdays, Sundays and National Holidays are not to be considered as part of the vacation period ), only after the initial 3 months, with no vacation exceeding "X" working days per one segment.

6.2 The Employee must notify to the school at least 2 weeks in advance. One vacation segment can be used anytime the Employee wants. However, the other vacation segment must coincide with the school�s summer / winter break.
The vacations will be administered through the Academic Director.

7. SICK DAYS
7.1 The Employee may use up to 6 paid sick days per year with the doctor�s note, and after the 3 sick days have been used, it will be counted as absent and the pay will be calculated according to the Daily Rate/Hourly Rate.
7.2 Paid vacation days can be substituted for sick days once for the 6 paid sick days have been used by the Employee.
7.3 In the event the employee does not fully use their entitled sick days, they will be fully reimbursed for any outstanding amount vis a vis regular daily wages.

RENEWAL & TERMINATION OF CONTRACT
1. RENEWAL
1.1 The Employer must give the Employee a written 60-day notice before renewal or non-renewal of
the Employee�s current contract.
1.2 Both the Employer and the Employee reserve the option to renew the original contract.

2. TERMINATION OF CONTRACT
2.1 Both parties will give at least a written 60-day notice prior to the termination date of the contract.
2.2 The Employer retains the right to terminate the contract immediately in the event that both :
a. The Employee is seen as unable to effectively discharge their responsibilities or contractual requirements.
b. After two formal written warnings & subsequent joint party discussions, Employee and Employer are unable to resolve their respective differences.

2.3 If in accordance with these terms of due process, the contract is terminated before a full 10 month completion
of the contract period:
a. The Employee will not qualify for benefits such as outstanding severance pay and return airfare.
b. The Employee will be wholly responsible for any utility and phone bills remaining for
the duration of their housing lease.

2.4. Within 14-days the Employee is required to sign a notice of termination and accompany the employer to the Korean Immigration Office to notify the Korean Immigration office of the termination.

GOVERNING LAW & JURISDICTION
1. This contract is subject to the application of the laws of the Republic of Korea.
2. This contract is made final and firm unless any material modification or amendment to this contract is executed with the full knowledge and consent of the undersigned and incorporated into this contract.

In witness thereof, we have hereon affixed our signatures.

Employee: ___________________________ Date: ______________________

Employer: ___________________________ Date: ______________________

Witness: ____________________________ Date: ______________________

Witness: ____________________________ Date: ______________________

[Teach]

[quote="gajackson1"]This is the kind of thing that frustrates me - it is not the teachers fault [i]per se[/i]; you all just need to be informed of your rights under the ministry of Labor.

EVERYONE is entitled to 10 days of [color=darkblue][i][u][b]PAID[/b][/u][/i][/color] vacation for each year worked, and this has to be increased by at least 1 day for each additional year of employment.quote]

Is this the law, you are referring to?

"An employer shall offer a worker who is employed more than [b]two consecutive years [/b]one day's paid leave for each year of consecutive employment years"

I'm well aware of my rights according to the law. I'm aware that by law I'm entitled to one mentruation day per month, that doesn't mean I can actually take it.

What I'm looking for is teacher's opinions, not misquoted laws.

Thanks.