Korean Job Discussion Forums

[madowlspeaks]

Has anyone had experience with (or know anything about) maternity leave while working at a university on a year contract?

[PRagic]

I once worked with a woman instructor at a big university who took maternity leave twice. Never had a problem with it, and none of her coworkers ever had a problem with her taking it.

[madowlspeaks]

[PRagic]

I think that people filled in for her, depending on how much time was left in the semester. For her second kid, I think someone subbed a few weeks, and then just gave her exam.

One complaint from the students, if I recall, was that they sent a Korean prof in to sub. They liked having the native speaker.

But it shouldn't be the worry of the woman fixing to go on maternity leave. Let the department worry about it, and if they don't, be prepared to move on. From where I stand, a woman getting ready to give birth has more to worry about than finding a sub for her college classes! And if the department can't do without one teacher for all or part of a semester, then the department has some real problems.

[paperbag princess]

Korean law says that you are entitle to 90 days off, 60 paid and 30 unpaid. That being said, it is rare that you will find an employer willing to give this time and virtually no one in the gov't will back you up.

Good luck.

[madowlspeaks]

[excitinghead]

Many Korean women do indeed feel pressured to work almost right up to the day of the birth and to return to work as soon as possible after. Employers might treat foreign employees differently though.

Anybody interested in more about problems with maternity leave, paternity leave and childcare in Korea, I've written a great deal on them in the links below:

http://thegrandnarrative.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/manufacturing-childcare-and-salarymen-why-korea-is-a-such-fascinating-place-to-study/
http://thegrandnarrative.wordpress.com/category/child-raising-in-korea/

[madowlspeaks]

[excitinghead]

Madowl, obviously I was just giving general information to people interested. But I see no reason why the provisions for maternity leave at a university would be any different to those of any other Korean workplace.

[madowlspeaks]