Korean Job Discussion Forums

[RachaelRoo]

Help! I'm a total newbie, still in Canada, and I have been offered a position. I am a female, 24, with B.A. and no teaching experience. I have no idea what to think about this contract - I noticed that training time is not paid. Are there any other problems with this that I missed? Do you think I should accept this job?

Employer and employee agree as follows:
1. Employee accepts employment from employer to teach the English language
under the conditions set forth here in this agreement for a period of twelve full and
consecutive teaching sessions.

2. Duties
2.1 During the term of this agreement, the employee is required to prepare for, teach, and carry out all required administrative duties connected with classes assigned by the employer. The minimum teaching requirement is 120hrs per month.
Monday through Friday are teaching days except for scheduled public holidays and vacation days.
2.2 The employer will have the authority to required the employee to perform teaching duties in excess of the minimum teaching requirement, Total teaching
periods in excess of the minimum requirement is calculated on a monthly basis.
2.3 No regular schedule of work hours can be guaranteed to employee.
Payment made for assigned teaching periods is inclusive of payment for
preparation and administrative duties connected with those assigned classes.
Employee agrees to attend meetings and training workshops scheduled by
employer. The purpose of meeting and workshops is to inform employee of matters relating to employee's professional development. No payment in excess of or in addition to employee's monthly salary will be made for attending meetings or workshops scheduled by employer.
2.4 At all during the term of this agreement, employee will directly will adhere to and follow all the rules and regulations that have bee, or may hereafter be established, by employer for the conduct of employee or generally for the conduct of instructors at the place of employment.

3. Compensation and Other Treatment of Employee
3.1 Transportation : Employer will provide for employee an economy class ticket for passage to Korea from an international airport which is mutually agreed to by employer and employee
(henceforth the referred to as point of departure). On completion of the full contract period, employee will provide for the employee an economy class ticket for passage from Korea to point of departure. The return
air ticket will be provided at the time of completion of the subsequent contract period(s). Air tickets provided cannot be exchanged for cash equivalents or transferred to persons other than the employee, air
ticket not used by employee cannot be reimbursed in cash or otherwise.

3.2 Orientation and Training : Shortly after arrival in Korea, employee will require to undertake orientation and training before commencing teaching. The period of training and orientation will usually be one week but employer reserves the right to reduce that period in cases where employee arrives in Korea less than one week before the commencement of a scheduled teaching session.
3.3 Salary : Except for the period of orientation and training, employer will pay employee for the minimum teaching requirement the amount of 1.9 million Won (to be determined) for each month of this
agreement, In addition to the minimum teaching requirement, employer may give employee extra teaching period per month. Payment for the minimum teaching requirement plus overtime is 17,000 Won /
teaching periods.
Teaching salary will commence from the first day of teaching. Korea income taxes
Approx .5% and Korean National Pension Scheme deductions will be withheld.

3.4 Housing
3.4.1 Employer will elect and provide furnished living accommodation for employee.
A single housing will be provided. A kitchen table and chairs, a two-burner gas hotplate, a refrigerator, a telephone and a washing machine. Furnishings provided to each employee include: A bed,
a wardrobe, and a fan. During any period of sole occupancy employee will be responsible for all utility
and telephone charges.

3.5 End of Contract Bonus : Upon completion of at least one full year of employment with employer, employee will be entitle to end of contract bonus. The bonus will be made as a cash
payment, the amount will be the same as one month salary.

3.6 Holidays and Vacation : Employee will be entitled to observe public holidays and receive vacation days during the contract term according to a yearly schedule provided by employer before
the commencement of the year to which the schedule refers. There are at least seven(7) vacation days in each calendar year(January - December)

3.7 Absence from Duties : Salary is not maintained when employee is absent from teaching
duties. Employee will have 3 days paid sick she had to submit doctor's note

3.8 Emergency Leave : event of death or serious illness in employee's immediate family. Such emergency leave will
be granted at the sole discretion of employer.

3.9 Medical Insurance : Employee will be covered by medical benefits under the Korean
Medical Insurance Union, a Government Health Organization. The costs of this coverage will be
borne half by employer and half by employee. Payment will be made monthly deduction from
employee's salary, at present 1.5%, and a like amount contributed by employer. Full medical coverage is
optional.

3.10 Accident Compensation : In the event that employee sustains injuries from an accident or mishap which occurs outside the course of normal work duties ; employee understands and agrees that employer will have no responsibility or obligation to pay, medical and hospital costs which are in excess of those.

4. Dismissal or Voluntary Resignation
4.1 Employer will have the right to dismiss employee for unwillingness or inability to meet conditions of employment as set out under this agreement, for conduct seriously jeopardizing any student
or staff person, or for criminal activity.

4.2 In the event that the employee is dismissed, or in the event that the employee voluntarily resigns prior to the termination of the term of this agreement, employer will pay salary due to date of termination. Employer will not pay the cost of return transportation to point of departure for
employee, nor will employer pay any bonus pay. Further, employer will be entitled to withhold an amount less than or equivalent to, but not exceeding, the cost relocation allowance given on arrival in Korea
and the cost of air fare provided for travel to Korea.

5. Covenants
5.1 Employee hereby agrees, covenants, and undertakes that he/she will not undertake any teaching duties or employment with any persons or organization other than the employer. To undertake such employment is a breach of korea Immigration law and can have serious consequences.

5.2 The employee understands and accepts that the right to use, sale, distribution, or
publication of all original material produced by the employee during the course of employee's employment,
and for which the employee is compensated as either regular pay, as overtime, or in an agreed-upon lump sum, shall remain the sole property of employer.

6. Jurisdiction : The agreement will be interpreted according to the internal(domestic) laws of the Republic of Korea. A competent count in the Republic of Korea will have jurisdiction in regard to any dispute or claim arising out of, or in connection with, this agreement.

[RachaelRoo]

oh, ignore the to be determined beside the salary

[Gopher]

[RachaelRoo]

This is at a hagwon. I spoke with a foreign teacher at the school and she said it was a great place to work.
My situation in Canada is being unemployed and living in my parents basement.

[Gopher]

[RachaelRoo]

Well, the problem with Taiwan or Japan would be the lack of start up capital. I have some money, but not enough to set up in one of those countries. I also don't want to go to Mexico or Indonesia because I want to save some $.

[Gopher]

We all make our own decisions...good luck in whatever you decide.

[Freezer Burn]

The housing could be something to worry about, the school sounds cheap, and they will give you a fan, instead of AC.
Minimum teaching hours are 120 hours, thats 40 hours a week, the word minimum I would be worried about, and its a monthly teaching schedule which is usual but they have added a clause that says they can make you catch up, whether they do it or not is unlikely but if you have to work 50 hours in a week to make it up, that would suck.
The orientation you have to do for free.
1.9 mil is to be determined, meaning they can change it when you get there.
Tax is 3.5% NOT 5%.
You can medical in a lump sum through AIG it cost me one payment for 12 months of 100,000 won and i get mostly full coverage.
If you get fired before the end of the contract you wont get a ticket back to canada
AVOID this contract keep looking,
and guys this was useless advice for this person.