Korean Job Discussion Forums

[CentralCali]

I just got my renewal application packet during lunch today. The deadline for submitting the application is December 11, 2008. The packet also has a handy little list of differences between the current contract and next year's.

If you've received your renewal package already, what is your appraisal of the contract differences?

[nomad-ish]

what kinds of changes? i'm thinking of either applying to SMOE or going to work at a busan PS

[CentralCali]

1. Starting Date of the Contract. It specifies 26 February 2009 to 25 February 2010, whereas the current contract runs from 1 March 2008 to 28 February 2009.

2. Round-trip Airfare on Renewal. Ensure the school's finance honcho understands that this is for signing a contract for 2010, not 2009! At the end of next year's contract, the return-airfare to Korea is history, you'll have to pay it yourself. Instead of that, you will get a contract renewal allowance of 2,000,000 won; BMOE will pay your way home and you pay your way back if you "re-enlist" for 2010. I say ensure your finance honcho is aware of that so he doesn't try to tell you that you don't get reimbursed for your flight back to Korea during this winter's vacation.

3. Housing Allowance. if you're not in BMOE-provided housing increases from 300,000 to 400,000 won.

4. Vacation. Changed from 14 work days to 21 calendar days: 10 calendar days in the summer and 11 calendar days in the winter.

5. Sick Leave. Paid sick leave is reduced from 15 days to 11 days. The requirement to get a doctor's report for absence longer than 7 days remains the same.

6. Orientation. For new personnel, they must complete an 8-day orientation prior to the beginning of the contract. How the BMOE plans to square that with Immigration and Labor laws is beyond me (and doesn't apply to me anyway).

Those are the big ones out of the twelve changes listed.

Here is the pay and qualifications schedule.

1+: 2,500,000 Won. Level 1 plus two consecutive years teaching experience at Level 1 within the same Provincial Office of Education (POE).

1: 2,300,000 Won. Have one of the following:

• Master's Degree.
  
• Teacher's credential in home country or a 100+ hour TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certificate.
  
• Bachelor's Degree in one of the following:
  
  • Education.
    
  • English Education.
    
  • English Language/Literature.
  
  
• Be a 2+ renewing at the same POE.

2+: 2,100,000 Won. Have one of the following:

• Have a Master's in any discipline with a Bachelor's in one of the following:
  
  
  • Education.
    
  • English Education.
    
  • English Language/Literature.
  
  
• Bea 2 renewing at the same POE.

2: 2,000,000 Won. Have one of the following:

• Teacher's credential in home country or a 100+ hour TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certificate.
  
• Bachelor's Degree in one of the following:
  
  • Education.
    
  • English Education.
    
  • English Language/Literature.
  
  
• Bachelor's Degree plus one year full-time English teaching experience.
  
• Master's Degree.

3: 1,800,000 Won. Have a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline.

[Ramen]

[CentralCali]

As listed now, it does overlap the current contract. I will politely indicate that I am currently contracted through 28 February 2009 and will happily begin my new contract on 1 March 2009.

My speculation (yes, I do now that's all it is) is that the contract date change is a matter of convenience for those who can't be bothered to understand that there's a difference between a pay period and a contract period. Well, I understand the difference and don't need to have my current contract lopped short for someone else's convenience.

Now, if I get it in writing that I will still be provided the severance pay for the current contract and the severance pay for next year's contract, I won't have any problems with it at all.

[cruisemonkey]

So... it's the new EPIK contract:
- reduced holidays
- reduced sick leave
- 'capped'/flat rate air fare.

Pretty crappy if you ask me. With the abysmal exchange rate, they should offering more, not less!

[CentralCali]

I'm going to love it when the exchange rate gets better. After all, 1/2 of the round-trip fare between here and San Francisco is a lot less than two grand.

[cruisemonkey]

[CentralCali]

The contract does not abandon the payment for the trip home at the end. They've replaced the trip back to Korea with a two million won renewal bonus.

[cruisemonkey]

If it's the same as EPIK, you don't get a flight home AND a W2,000,000 renewal 'bonus' - the 2 mil. replaces the paid for flights home and back when you renew.

[Kimchieluver]

I still think that 2 million won renewal bonus is going to be tied to an air ticket in some way. I think it is their nice way of saying that there is a 2 million won cap on your home leave air ticket. I wouldn't mind getting a lump sum next year and give up going on a vacation, but I just can't see them giving me a lump sum of 2 million.

[cruisemonkey]

[Kimchieluver]

[jellobean]

As long as the contract doesn't state that the bonus is tied to the ticket, they can't add that later. If the contract states 2 million bonus and doesn't specify any other requirement then it should be yours. Even if they try to pull the "it's tied to travel" it will be tough because it doesn't specify you must fly or even return to your home country. If you want to take the slow boat to China and the Siberian railroad to Moscow and bike across Europe and take a boat across the channel to return to the UK, how are they going to require you to submit expenses?

[cruisemonkey]