Korean Job Discussion Forums

[red_devil]

[poet13]

The last time I read a thread on this, which was last year; security deposits were only binding if you agreed to them.

edit - changed legal to binding. the way I understand it, an employer cannot technically demand a depsoit unless you agree to it. Of course if you refuse, they don't have to offer you a job either....

[yingwenlaoshi]

That deposit is fkg ridiculous.

[I-am-me]

A lot of clauses are ridiculous in that contract. Why should we teach parents and other teachers for free? If you have your own apartment or house why do they still want the deposit? I am sure korean teachers dont pay a deposit!

[cruisemonkey]

[Oliver]

from what I hear the 900 000 thing is standard, although you can claim it back.

A lot of money though I agree, especially if a large part of the reason for coming to korea is because one is poor.

Ollie

[nomad-ish]

excuse the cynicism, but i believe this is a security deposit on you. afterall, who's going to pull a midnight run when they're holding 900,000 won of your money hostage?

there's nothing standard about this. i know GEPIK wants 900,000 won, SMOE wants 500,000 won (something like that), but there are public school boards that don't require any such "security deposit"

[Otherside]

Well the deposit is a form of insurance.
With the PS. holding 900K, chances of doing a runner are slim, and if one does a runner atleast the ps doesn't lose out on the money paid for airfare.

Ollie, it is a large chunk of change, but only 300K is taken out each month for 3 months, so it is not a heavy burden.

Not to mention, with a public school, if you follow protocol and give your notice, you WILL get the deposit back.

Poet13: Exactly, don't want to pay a deposit, fine, don't take the job.

I-am-me: You aren't teaching parents and teachers for free. You are contracted to teach 22 classes a week, and if parent/teacher classes fall into that number, so be it. If you teach over 22 classes (be it regular, after school, parent or teacher classes) you will be paid overtime. Overall, the PS contracts are better than the vast majority of Hagwon contracts and is a pretty tight agreement.

[red_devil]

If you get hired to Google they don't ask you to pay money as a "deposit" to cover potential liability. That's the reason why hiring processes, and interviews exist - to screen out people. If the company hires after that, than it should be their responsibility to swallow costs from hiring the WRONG person. Having an "insurance" like this shows severe distrust in your own hiring process and your employees..

When you rent a new apartment they require this kind of deposit but since the employer has decided to cover housing, they should pay that as well. Using that kind of application for new hires is wrong...and everyone knows you never get the full amount of deposit back anyways.

Most jobs i see are an average 2.0Mil won salary. $300K is a lot and would pay for all of my utility bills + some.

If you are already working 30 hours a week, why the hell would you prefer to do OT classes at the meager $20K Won anyways? Privates would pay 3 times that amount.

And yes i did turn down the GEPIK offer - what a POS contract.

[ttompatz]

[spliff]

The deposit has nothing to do w/ "pulling a runner" it's held in case you leave w/out paying your bills or in the event you damage the accommodation.

[nomad-ish]

[ttompatz]

[Draz]

My ps didn't require a deposit, and I somehow managed to not pull a runner or damage the apartment. Then I wanted to transfer schools and the new administration was insisting on it. Does my six months of service mean nothing to you??

I did not take the job. (Not only because of the deposit, but after that I stopped even thinking about it.)

[Kimchieluver]