Korean Job Discussion Forums

[LOVYDOVY]

what would happen if someone quit smoe before the first 6 months?

and if you quit after 6 months? what i mean is to give notice and don't have to pay them back for the flight ticket? can the person come back to teach with a new visa?

[Bibbitybop]

Before 6 months: Pay back original flight to Korea, and give up pension, severance, 500,000 won deposit and flight home.

After 6 months: Same, except for paying back original flight to Korea. If on E-2 visa, you would have to let your visa expire (1 year from start date) before you could work again legally on an E-2 visa. No letter of release for you from SMOE.

[icicle]

[prideofidaho]

^
I think the bit about the visa running out might be wrong. SMOE may not give you a letter of release, but they can certainly cancel your visa...at least that's what a former colleague had done. It was a headache for the person who quit, though.

[Bibbitybop]

People who quit SMOE, even with notice, have lost their 500,000 won deposit. That may be illegal, I don't know, but it certainly wasn't the top priority for people leaving.

SMOE is adamant about not giving letters of release. Unless the process changed, I though people who pulled a runner or quit with no LOR would have to wait until their contract/visa time (1 year from start) was up. But I'm no lawyer.

[prideofidaho]

I think there's a difference between a letter of release, and them cancelling your visa. It's possible to have visa cancelled w/o letter of release, no?

[nizpaz]

Well cos I LOVE my SMOE position just SO MUCH I've read my contract a zillion times to fathom this very question out. I think Bibbitybop has it on the nail except there is also the 300 advance too. Not to mention the sheer poo that the month's notice would likely be. If it's pants now, it'll only get worse if you quit.

My undertsanding if you do the right thing and give notice you'll loose 500 deposit, have to pay back the airfare (and check the face value of the e-ticket for the price - it's SCANDALOUS) severence, flight home AND the 300 advance. I believe the pension too, but I don't get that so I haven't checked.

The there are other things to consider - did you sign a 12 month rental for phone/internet etc using the school as guarantor? They'll sting you for that too.

The contract states clearly there is no LOR. I'm not sure about the cancelling of the visa but I suspect not.

All in all my conclusion is stick it out to minimum of 6 months or run (something I never dreamed I'd hear myself say, much less think of doing...)

I'm on the planning stage of how I can improve my situation, tackle the issues, just looking for the right words, because something has to give! If you can't get any improvement at the school, I believe there are other channels, although how easy that would be is another matter.

I hear ya. If you want to PM or chat SMOE woes feel free.

[MollyBloom]

Sorry, I just want ot get it right: if you quit before 6 months do you have to let the visa run out or they can cancel it? You need an LOR to get the visa cancelled?


Sorry to hijack, but what's the deal with transferring schools within SMOE, especially after a few months? Would the NSET have to wait until new hiring periods and stay at his/her school until March/Sept (which ever comes first)?

[prideofidaho]

[Draz]

[wings]

I think the issue with the 500,000 deposit is that it is for your apartment. Even if you give notice the school still get's screwed over becuase they have a one year lease with your apartment. They will have to refund the realtor fee to find a new tenant and/or pay a fine to get out of the lease.

So if you were living in the co-op and you quit you would get the deposit back. but in other situations it would depend.

[Draz]