Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Forrest Gump]

Hi, I've also submitted this contract on the Contract Review Sticky but am under a bit of pressure to sign it and would really appreciate some advice as soon as possible. Thanks very much!

Letter of Agreement

�The Institute�and "the Teacher" agree to a contract for regular full-time English teaching as follows.

TEACHER OBLIGATIONS

A. Supervision
The Teacher will work closely with the Program Coordinator and other colleagues in the planning, observation, and review of instruction.

As a member of the Institute, the Teacher will contribute to the cumulative experience, wisdom, and resources of team dedicated to developing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive program for teaching English to Koreans.

B. Behavior
The Teacher should respect the rules and standards of conduct of the Institute (written, verbal and tacit) and obey the laws, regulations, instructions, and ordinances of the national and local governments, and vice versa.

Any teaching or employment other than at the above address shall not be permitted, in accordance with Korean Law. Non-compliance may result in discipline including fines and deportation.

C. Workload
The Teacher will have 23 80-minute classes per teaching week. The Teacher is expected to devote no less than 2.5 hours a day at the Institute for lesson planning, with co-teachers, student evaluations, reporting, consultation with parents, supervision of play, maintenance of the English environment during breaks, workshops, teachers' meetings, and upgrading one's professional knowledge and skills without additional pay. The work week will follow the yearly academic calendar issued by ********.

Staff meetings will be scheduled at the discretion of the Institute Director. Attendance is required. Staff meetings will allow time for discussion of topics of current concern within the program such as new policies, procedures, methods of training, instruction, curriculum, and other matters as needed. Staffs are encouraged to help work out practical solutions to problems at these meetings.


D. Special Research Projects
Any part of the Teacher workload can be converted into research and development work.

E. Overtime
Overtime teaching is paid at the rate of 15,000 won per hour beyond weekly 23 80-min classes . Overtime will not be paid on holidays, sick days, or emergency-leave days. The assignment of overtime above the regular 23 classes and less than 25 classes is at the sole discretion of the Institute.

F. Work Schedule
The work week runs from Monday through Friday in monthly periods. The Teacher's schedule will be assigned by the Institute Director.

G. Covenants
The Teacher hereby agrees, covenants and undertakes that he/she will not disclose any information relating to the Teacher�s employment conditions to others, any teaching materials, or any information relating to the academic program, whether verbally or in written, to individuals or corporate entities.

All teaching materials including any books given to the Teacher by the Institute should be returned after using and the Teacher must not take out or use these materials for other purposes but teaching in ********.

TEACHER BENEFITS

A. Monthly Salary
The Institute will pay the Teacher a total monthly basic salary of W2,000,000 on the 10th day of the following month. The monthly salary is based on a calendar month, not the monthly teaching session. Korean income tax, National Pension, & Medical Insurance will be withheld from the monthly salary.

B. Housing
The Institute will provide the teacher with a single apartment/house. A two-person apartment/house will be provided for a married couple, if both are teaching at the Institute.

The apartment will contain a TV, a refrigerator, a washing machine, air conditioner, wardrobes, a telephone, a gas range, beds & Korean style bedding, desks, chairs, a dining table & chairs, and some eating & cooking utensils.

C. Health Insurance
The Teacher will be covered by Korean National Health Insurance. According to the government guideline for teachers, the monthly insurance charge will be shared by the Institute and the Teacher. Each will pay 50% of the total. Coverage will be from the date of joining to Korean Medical Insurance Union, commencing approximately 3 to 4 weeks after the teacher's arrival in Korea due to requirements of the immigration and taxation departments.

D. National Pension Plan
In accordance with Korean Law all foreign workers employed by Korean businesses shall pay into the Korean National Pension plan at a rate stipulated by the Korean National Pension Law deducted against monthly earnings with the employer's contribution.

Refund of the National Pension to a teacher who becomes a compulsorily insured employee, where the Pension Act of the Teacher's home country provides the benefit corresponding to the lump-sum refund of the National Pension Plan, the lump-sum refund of this plan shall be paid to the foreigner, according to Korean Law.

E. Paid Sick Leave and Emergency Leave
Documented sick leave and emergency leave will be paid for a combined total of 15 80-min.classes a year. The Teacher should provide the Institute with as much advance notice as possible. Unused sick leave may not be converted into any cash payment. If it is found that the hours/days of absence reported as sick leave or emergency leave were not in fact for such purposes, related costs shall be subtracted from the following month's pay. The above leaves will be included in the period of medical care compensation according to the Article 78 of Korean Labor Standard Law.

F. Airfare
The Institute shall pay round-trip airfare between the nearest international airport from the Teacher's place of residence and a major city in Korea. Round-trip airfare is provided only once. A one-way ticket will be provided to Korea and at the end of one's contract a one-way ticket to the port of the departure will be provided.

Teachers hired in-country shall have the visa trip to Japan paid for by the Institute. No international airfare home will be provided to the Teacher hired in-country except if the Teacher extends for a second year, then a one-way ticket is provided to the west coast of USA or Canada, or a place in other countries within the equivalent cost.

In case the Teacher fails to complete the contract by his or her own fault/reason, the Teacher shall pay back to the Institute the total amount of the air ticket and the actual amount for the visa trip to Japan, in the case of an in-country hiring.

G. Teacher Training
The Teacher shall have a period of training before starting to teach in their Institute. During the training period, and for the break between the training and the start of teaching, the Teacher will be in the Institute for classroom observation. The Teacher will receive briefings from their Program Coordinator and the Institute Director, and will get acquainted with the local institute policies. During this time the Teacher will receive half the rate of the regular pay.

H. Vacation
The vacation will be scheduled as per the yearly academic calendar which is decided by ********: normally the vacation would be in the form of one week in the summer and one week at the end of the year but it can also be separated into 3-4 days connected to national holidays or weekends. The above vacation will be included monthly paid leave and annual paid leave according to Article 47 and 48 of Korean Labor Standard Law.


I. Severance Pay
On completion of one's responsibilities of the full contract period, an additional month of regular salary W2,000,000 per one year shall be paid as severance pay. If the Teacher, however, does not complete the full period of one year contract, none of the severance pay shall be paid according to Korean Labor Standard Law. Severance pay will be paid by bank transfer no later than one month after the Teacher has left the Institute. Korean severance tax will be withheld. Any outstanding debts will be subtracted from the severance pay.

The Institute reserves the right to terminate this agreement for cause with written notification sixty days in advance, and for serious cause without notice. The Teacher agrees to give written notification sixty days in advance of intention to terminate this agreement or of interest in renewing it.

Although pay starts the day the Teacher starts Teacher Training Program, the effective date of this contract is the first teaching day in the Institute. The total period of this agreement is approximately one year, commencing from the first day of the session and finishing on the last teaching day of the Teacher's 12th teaching session. A delay in the Teacher's arrival at the Institute, or in the opening of a new Institute may call for a re-negotiation of the contract period.



Date: ______________ ________________________
Director




Date: _______________ ______________________








N.B.

1. The Teacher�s compensation will be paid in Korean Currency. The money conversion process will be arranged by the Institute.

2. The Teacher is responsible for monthly apartment utilities (garbage removal, electricity, water for washing, etc.), management charges (guards, etc.), & telephone bills.

[mrd]

Three of the major points that I would take issue with in this contract are:

1. The mandatory 2.5 hours a day of unpaid prep time: this means your work week becomes 42.5 hours long after you take into consideration your 30 hours of teaching time per week. 12.5 hours of free work per week? This isn't Homes for Humanity.

2. Relative to the amount of work the school wants you to carry out, your monthly pay of 2.0 mil seems very low.

3. 15,000W per hour OT is also very low. If I were you, I woudn't settle for anything less than 20,000.

The recruiter is likely putting pressure on you to sign quick becuase its how they get teachers to sign very mediocre contracts. Hang tough - there are tons of jobs out there, just kindly state you minimum requests respectfully, and you should be able to go far either building on this contract with the school or with a new contract somewhere else.

[Forrest Gump]

for your advice and encouragement - really appreciate it.

[Satin]

Lots of vague areas - for sure!

Just say thank you and keep looking.

There's some good advertising today from reputable recruiters. Take a look and you should recognize them. Good luck!

[Forrest Gump]

Thanks, Satin, for your advice and for taking the trouble to read this thread. I realize it's not exactly the most interesting thread on this message board! Does anyone know how to tell if a duck is a famous blues musician? I've heard that the best way is to put it in the oven and see if its bill withers.

[ttompatz]