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korea.teacher
Joined: 04 Feb 2009
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 Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 6:29 am Post subject: Hagwon Requires Teachers to Work for Free?! |
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Our school calendar doesn't have teachers scheduled to work on two Fridays during the month of March.
The new institute manager told me last week that an open house would be scheduled on one of those Fridays and that I would be required to teach a sample class to a group of prospective students. In fact, later in the week she brought it up again and without asking me what I had prepared, lectured me in front of staff, saying I wasn't ready for the class and then walked away.
So I'm sitting in the faculty room preparing handouts for tomorrow and one after another teacher passing through tells me that they will also be teaching special classes tomorrow, however, no one will be getting paid. One teacher said that that's the first time.
The manager never said anything to me. I heard this by accident from one of the Korean instructors.
So I get lectured for some personal reason while I'm also not being told that I'm not going to be paid.
When I checked my first month's pay receipt, I also didn't see deductions for medical insurance or taxes. I've been told that the school didn't pay health insurance for the last instructor. |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:06 am Post subject: |
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You see, that's a situation where they're screwing you behind your back and at the same time confront you with some criticism. If they're angry with or disappointed in you it sets it right in their minds. And then they just become difficult to deal with or talk to about any such issues and tend to ignore you.
Dirty sewer rats. |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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| This is why I don't work for hagwans any more. |
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PRagic
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Don't even confront them about it, just call the Labour Board or the appropriate government agency for the heath care (a little help from another poster here?) and have THEM call the school. IF they get on your arse about it, just say you thought that was what you were supposed to do. Screw em. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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So wait - instead of getting two Fridays off you now get one off and have to plan one event for the other? Would you rather be teaching screaming little monsters for eight lessons in a row on those days instead?
As for the lack of pension and health insurance, just tell them that you'll check with the labour board about what the rules are. That might scare them into action. |
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jiberish
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
Location: The Carribean Bay Wrestler
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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lol, don't let your companies screw you. The situation here at the moment is so bad with the economy that if they lose you as a teacher. Im sure they wouldn't be able to replace you fast.
No parent wants their kid to have the foreign teacher's lesson taught by a korean. |
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Straphanger
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Location: Chilgok, Korea
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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| some waygug-in wrote: |
| This is why I don't work for hagwans any more. |
Yeah, all these public school teachers kvetching about broken equipment, intrusions, fights, late/no pay...yeah, this one post is why you don't do hakwon work.  |
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jiberish
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
Location: The Carribean Bay Wrestler
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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lol, don't let your companies screw you. The situation here at the moment is so bad with the economy that if they lose you as a teacher. Im sure they wouldn't be able to replace you fast.
No parent wants their kid to have the foreign teacher's lesson taught by a korean. |
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lifeinkorea
Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Location: somewhere in China
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:47 pm Post subject: |
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korea.teacher,
I don't know your full schedule, so it's hard to comment. First thing to look at is, do you have a split schedule or are you finished after 1 shift each work day?
If it is split, then you have more to be worried about. The hagwon will use this as a leveraging tool to see how much and when they can get you to work.
I accepted a 4 day split-shift week temporarily with one hagwon until they got a replacement teacher for the morning shift. They never did, so as long as I had that Friday free, I didn't care about the split schedule. Then, they scheduled a Friday. I refused to go unless they changed my schedule. They didn't, and I didn't go in on that Friday.
If your schedule is not split, then you are in a better situation and I would look to see how much you are really working that week. If it's just one off, or even once a month and you like the classes, I wouldn't worry about it. I would put more attention on the health and tax issues.
Last edited by lifeinkorea on Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:48 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Straphanger wrote: |
| some waygug-in wrote: |
| This is why I don't work for hagwans any more. |
Yeah, all these public school teachers kvetching about broken equipment, intrusions, fights, late/no pay...yeah, this one post is why you don't do hakwon work. |
All those things happen at hakwons as well...and the late/no pay thing happens FAR more regularly at hakwons then P.S. There is just no comparision between the two.
Many if not most hakwons will try to cheat you in some way..whether it be on taxes, or health insurance or pension. Just look at the hundreds of contracts posted on the contract sticky thread...very few have pension mentioned.
Whereas very few P.S will try the same thing...and in the vast majority of THOSE cases it is more likely to be incompetence.
Lots of foreign teachers in the P.S.s is a new thing and many schools have had a teacher for the first time...it's still a learning curve. Whereas the majority of hakwons have had a F.T before (unless they are brand new) they know what the deal is. |
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hari seldon
Joined: 05 Dec 2004
Location: Incheon
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:54 pm Post subject: Re: Hagwon Requires Teachers to Work for Free?! |
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| korea.teacher wrote: |
Our school calendar doesn't have teachers scheduled to work on two Fridays during the month of March.
The new institute manager told me last week that an open house would be scheduled on one of those Fridays and that I would be required to teach a sample class to a group of prospective students. In fact, later in the week she brought it up again and without asking me what I had prepared, lectured me in front of staff, saying I wasn't ready for the class and then walked away.
So I'm sitting in the faculty room preparing handouts for tomorrow and one after another teacher passing through tells me that they will also be teaching special classes tomorrow, however, no one will be getting paid. One teacher said that that's the first time.
The manager never said anything to me. I heard this by accident from one of the Korean instructors.
So I get lectured for some personal reason while I'm also not being told that I'm not going to be paid.
When I checked my first month's pay receipt, I also didn't see deductions for medical insurance or taxes. I've been told that the school didn't pay health insurance for the last instructor. |
You should assume the worst with this employer and protect yourself. He is legally required to enroll you in NHIC and NPS and to pay taxes. Meet with the manager and explain to him exactly what your expectations are regarding pay deductions for NHIC, pension and tax. Be specific about the percentages and give him links to the websites if he has any questions.
Here's the websites:
Health Insurance (50% of 4.77% matched by employer.
http://www.nhic.or.kr/eng/
Pension (50% of 9% matched by employer):
http://www.nps.or.kr/
Taxes:
http://www.nts.go.kr/eng/
Tax deduction calculator:
http://www.nts.go.kr/eng/help/help_52.asp?top_code=H001&sub_code=HS05&ssub_code=HSE2
All of these agencies can answer questions over the phone. |
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Juregen
Joined: 30 May 2006
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
Many if not most hakwons will try to cheat you in some way..whether it be on taxes, or health insurance or pension. Just look at the hundreds of contracts posted on the contract sticky thread...very few have pension mentioned.
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Why mention those things on the contract when they are part of the labor act?
I don't have them on my contracts either, does this mean I don't pay for those things? Not quite.
But yes, I agree with the statements that hagwons will try harder to make a buck and ignore basic human rights. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Juregen wrote: |
| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
Many if not most hakwons will try to cheat you in some way..whether it be on taxes, or health insurance or pension. Just look at the hundreds of contracts posted on the contract sticky thread...very few have pension mentioned.
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Why mention those things on the contract when they are part of the labor act?
I'd rather have specific language on a contract that outlines my rights then search through the dozens of often vague statements on the labor law to find one that I can prove is applicable in my circumstances. And generally speaking when a hakwon doesn't mention pension, means they have no intention of paying it.
I don't have them on my contracts either, does this mean I don't pay for those things? Not quite.
But yes, I agree with the statements that hagwons will try harder to make a buck and ignore basic human rights. |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:49 am Post subject: |
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| Sorry. Pension, health and taxes have no business being in a contract. They're not contractual things. |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:51 am Post subject: Re: Hagwon Requires Teachers to Work for Free?! |
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| hari seldon wrote: |
| korea.teacher wrote: |
Our school calendar doesn't have teachers scheduled to work on two Fridays during the month of March.
The new institute manager told me last week that an open house would be scheduled on one of those Fridays and that I would be required to teach a sample class to a group of prospective students. In fact, later in the week she brought it up again and without asking me what I had prepared, lectured me in front of staff, saying I wasn't ready for the class and then walked away.
So I'm sitting in the faculty room preparing handouts for tomorrow and one after another teacher passing through tells me that they will also be teaching special classes tomorrow, however, no one will be getting paid. One teacher said that that's the first time.
The manager never said anything to me. I heard this by accident from one of the Korean instructors.
So I get lectured for some personal reason while I'm also not being told that I'm not going to be paid.
When I checked my first month's pay receipt, I also didn't see deductions for medical insurance or taxes. I've been told that the school didn't pay health insurance for the last instructor. |
You should assume the worst with this employer and protect yourself. He is legally required to enroll you in NHIC and NPS and to pay taxes. Meet with the manager and explain to him exactly what your expectations are regarding pay deductions for NHIC, pension and tax. Be specific about the percentages and give him links to the websites if he has any questions.
Here's the websites:
Health Insurance (50% of 4.77% matched by employer.
http://www.nhic.or.kr/eng/
Pension (50% of 9% matched by employer):
http://www.nps.or.kr/
Taxes:
http://www.nts.go.kr/eng/
Tax deduction calculator:
http://www.nts.go.kr/eng/help/help_52.asp?top_code=H001&sub_code=HS05&ssub_code=HSE2
All of these agencies can answer questions over the phone. |
Health has gone up at least twice since it was 4.77%. It went up to 5.08 and then at least one more time. Don't know what the new figure is. |
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