Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tuckerg76]

Hello, I am a recent university graduate from Canada, I have an offer to teach at Ochang GnB English Institute. Firstly if anybody is teaching here could you share your thoughts about this school? The school is located at Ochang-myeon, Cheongwon-gun, Choongbuk. I've been googling these with little luck up to now, so if anyone has experience in the area please share. I have been told that the school is located 15 minutes outside of the city of Cheongju. Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

[pet lover]

I know nothing about the school, but here is a tip for future reference. When you want to know about a school, post its name and location in your thread title so that people familiar with it will notice it. You have a better chance of getting some answers than if you just hope that the right people happen upon a thread with a vague title. Good luck!

[tuckerg76]

Thanks for the advice, i revised my post title accordingly:)

The recruiter told me location was 15 minutes from Cheongju. The other location info is pasted directly from the contract.

[ttompatz]

[tuckerg76]

thx for added advice, my worry is about offending any possible employers, i have not yet had any contact with the school, but here are some items from the contract in original phrasing:

Employment terms and Conditions:
The primary responsibilities of the employee are as follows:

A. Curriculum design and implementation.
B. Development of educational programs and materials.
C. Field activities for and or with students.
D. Grading and evaluation of students.
E. Student counseling.
F. Attendance at teachers' meetings and workshops.
G. School promotional activities.
H. Other teaching related activities.

Employee will teach classes for 120 hours a month from Monday through Friday (one lesson period is 50 minutes). If the employee teaches more than 120 hours, he/she will be paid 20,000 won for each extra hour. The working hours used for primary responsibilities of Article 1 are not considered as overtime with the exception school promotional activities. The employer shall pay a monthly salary of Korean 2.2 million won. Payment shall be made on the 30th of each month worked by the employee. Korean income tax (3.3 %) shall be deducted from the employee's salary according to Korean income tax law.

a) Severance payment
Employee will be given, exclusive of monthly salary payments, an additional 1/12th(one-twelfth) of one month's total earning for each month of employment since commencement of employment with employer. One month's total earnings are calculated on the average earnings of the three months preceding termination. In the event that the employee does not renew employment under a subsequent employment agreement with employer; this payment will be made at the time of termination.

b) Vacation and Holidays
Employee will be given 10 business days for vacation (five days in summer and five in winter) and is entitled to observe all public holidays throughout the calendar year.


c)Dismissal or voluntary resignation: 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.

d) In the event that Employee is dismissed, or in the event that 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 severance pay. Further, employer will be entitled to withhold an amount less than or equivalent to, but not exceeding the cost of air fare provided for travel to Korea.

Housing
Employer will arrange and pay for furnished housing for the period of the contract. Employee shall pay living expenses including electricity, water, gas, oil, phone bills, and etc. Meals are not provided. Employee is required to deposit one month's rent (KW400,000).

Airfare
Employer agrees to reimburse Employee for one-way airfare, according to the following rules.
1. In order to receive airfare reimbursement, Employee must give Employer the original airplane ticket and the receipt for the payment of airfare to the travel agency.
2. If the Instructor terminates his/her contract prematurely, he/she must repay this airfare reimbursement to the Employer. In such a case, this reimbursement will be deducted from his/her paycheck.

Upon completion of a one year contract, Employer agrees to provide Employee with return airfare to point of departure.

My biggest concern is the airfare and severance, i have heard some stories of people working all year to get canned in the last month and losing airfare and severence. Is this really a common practice if you've worked well? As for speaking to current teachers, my hope is that one will stumble across all this and perhaps enlighten me, but if that doesn't happen over the next week i will ask for contact info directly.

[ttompatz]

[tuckerg76]

I have just been speaking with another person from the recruiting agency. i have asked if it would be possible to speak with some teachers from the school, and it was explained to me that i would be the schools first teacher! Is this too much to expect from a newbie? Also I believe it is 144 classes per month, at least that is how i interpret the contract. I think if i accept the offer, as 1st teacher i will be doing A LOT of unpaid overtime since the school will be just starting and all. If anybody has some 'new school' stories i'd love to hear them. I have not made any decisions yet, but my gut is telling me maybe i should look at other oppurtunities.

[ttompatz]

[tuckerg76]

Yeah, sucker for punishment is probably a good way to put it. I've been scouring these forums for gnb info and so far they've had a majority of negative reviews. It seems to be because their operation depends greatly on what each owner is like. The recruiter is set to call me again tommorow and i will probably sever ties with them at that point. Thanks for taking the time to write and share views.