Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ijustcamealongfortheride]

Directly from my contract:

"The salary will be paid to the "Employee" once per month without delay on the 15th of each month. The payment will include services rendered from the 1st to the 31st (or last day) of the previous month."

I suppose this means once I start, I'll be waiting a month and a half for my first paycheck. Is that normal? If so, how do you survive the first month without any incoming money?

[OculisOrbis]

its normal to be paid once a month, but a two week hold-back blows. they should be able to pay you for the month worked, on the first day of the next month. theyre just protecting themselves from having you run by always holding two weeks of salary hostage. get that part of the contract changed, and if you need cash you can request an advance of your pay in the first month after you work for a couple weeks. reasonable management understands that you might need start-up cash and will usually help you out. that being said,,,finding reasonable hagwon management is not always an easy task..good luck to you.

[hogwonguy1979]

yup, you need to bring enough cash to get through the first month/6 weeks unless you can get an advance, its also a way to keep you from pulling a runner. ps and univs you will get paid on the payday (17th or 25th) of that first month so you dont have to wait

[Ramen]

First of all, it is not normal and it's usually a sign of shady hagwon. But if you do take the job, just bring enough doe to survive until your first payday + your return airfare (or ticket) just in case you have to run.

[Stones1962]

Don't listen to Ramen. It is not a sign of a 'shady hagwon.' It is normal to paid 'once a month.' Standard issued contract in Korea, that's all. Nothing has changed the past 8 years.

Just bring some cash and you'll be ok.

[kprrok]

[gangpae]

If you are desperate for a job you should take a public school job. Taking a hagwon job could be the start of your worst nightmare.

[Ramen]

What I was saying is that that it's not normal to get your salary held up for 15 days. And of course getting paid once a month is normal.

[D.D.]

I had a job offer before and when they started talking about that holding salary crap I moved on. There is so many public school jobs so why work in a hogwan.

I started on the 19th and on the 25th I was paid for the 19th until the end of the month. So I was actually getting paid for 5 days in advance.

They will hold your pay back like that to play out their control drama. Stay away.

[call_the_shots]

I agree that it is normal to get paid once a month & not normal to wait 15 days for your salary. I wouldn't wait more than 5 days. Have them change this in the contract. Either change your payday to the 5th of every month, or have payday on the 15th of every month for work done from the 11th of the previous month to the 10th of the current month. If they refuse, find another job.

[ttompatz]

[SHANE02]

Spot on Tompatz

[hagwonnewbie]

DITTO

[Tobias]