Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kabrams]

So for some reason, my school has a problem with my plane ticket. I booked a flight from my hometown to Incheon Airport with a connecting flight in Los Angeles.

I know they're probably just confused, but who doesn't know that if you don't live in a place like Dallas, Chicago, LA, Detroit, etc. you're not going to be able to get a direct flight to Incheon Airport? My contract stipulates that:

The actual purchasing price of the airfare for Employee�s flight to Korea shall be reimbursed by Employer within a month(30 days) upon working at the school based on the economy class of the most direct flight available from Employee�s residence to the Incheon International Airport in Korea.

It's one ticket, not two, not three, and it's a ticket from my hometown to Incheon Airport, not one ticket from my hometown to Los Angeles and then another ticket from Los Angeles to Incheon Airport.

I have all my receipts, I have my boarding passes, I have the cost of the plane ticket (both the hardcopy from the airport, and my online booking confirmation from my travel agency).

I mean, technically, they are within their rights to charge me only for the LAX-Incheon flight since that was "the most direct flight", but there is no ticket or price for that flight because it's included in the ticket price from my hometown to Korea. And then they're shocked that there is no magic ticket or ticket price for the LAX-Incheon flight. Have they never heard the phrase "connecting flight"?

If I don't get fully reimbursed, oh well. Lesson learned, I suppose. It's my fault I didn't check/make sure they knew what flight I had. I still like my school. I just don't think they understand international travel that well.

[farrepatt]

Your school isn't right. It doesn't mean that they pay for the 'direct' flight, it means that they can't book you on some crappy flight that make multiple stop on the way back home. They pay the full airfare for the flight that makes the least number of stops.

For example, when I fly to Toronto there is a direct Korean Air flight that costs around $1400 (Canadian). Yet, there are cheaper fares if booking with a stop over in San Francisco or Chicago (about $1,200). If I want the direct flight the school has to pay for it. Of course if for some reason I wanted the longer flight, then the school would pay for it too.

When I came with GEPIK I got fully reimbursed even though my recruiter booked me through San Francisco and my wife got reimbursed both times (from Nashville through Atlanta once, and from Burlington, VT through New York once).

Don't let them not pay you for the full amount. It will just set a precedent and you'll find yourself getting pushed around in the future.

[lifeinkorea]

[Countrygirl]

The school is confused. If it was just a connecting flight it will get paid. I had this issue when I was in Korea a long time ago (not GEPIK). This sort of thing confuses Koreans.

Call GEPIK, talk to Dain and get her to tell your school in plain English. DO NOT have them talk to anyone else at GEPIK. I am now having a problem with my school and they keep talking to different departments in GEPIK and getting different answers. Dain has the most correct answers and is aggressive which can be good for the foreign teacher.

If that doesn't help then threaten to call the labour board. I've seen just the threat of the labour board really clear up the public school's comprehension of a contract very quickly.

Ultimately you are right and they are wrong...don't pay for their mistake.

[kabrams]

[Johnny_Bravo]

ask your school if they're idiots.

I'm half serious.

do you LIVE in Los Angeles? ask them.. do I live in Los Angeles?

is Los Angeles my home? the contract states "home". (I'll check the exact wording when I check the contract at my school desk tomorrow)

if not, then they're paying the price it takes to get you HOME, wherever home is.

or ask them if they are truly HALF WITS and present the situation in Korean terms.

they live in Jeju island. You will pay for them to get to Incheon, and how they get to their home at Jeju is none of your business, it's up to them



I'm in the midst of a little quandary. I'd like to fly home, to see Mom and buy some clothes, etc. but it looks like direct flights are running close to 2 mil won. (not joking!)

I can get a flight to SE Asia for a quarter of that price. Going there instead with 1.5 mil won in my pocket is an awfully tempting proposition.

[chris_J2]

[lifeinkorea]

[kabrams]

[lifeinkorea]

[kabrams]

I already gave them my boarding passes! I gave them my boarding passes, my itinerary, my hard-copy receipt from the airport and a copy of the original reservation.

I don't know what the issue is, lol.

[Chambertin]

They are trying to nickel and dime you and you are letting them.
As per those things previously said about "testing the waters" for a pushover teacher, I have no idea if this is the case or not. It is a clear and simple contract matter.

[Johnny_Bravo]

ok, now you can officially ask if they are idiots.
ok scratch that.

the contract says the most direct flight to the nearest airport of your residence.

provide them with a dictionary - English to Korean.. or ask them to read out loud article 9.4 in the 2009 contract. (which they can easily read in Korean)

ask them if they understand the word airport and residence.

if there is a connecting flight from LAX to the airport near your residence, they're paying for it.

if they still give you the stupid blank eyed stare, once again present them with a "korean" situation. (put shoe on other foot)

They live in Jeju island.. your school is in Los Angeles.

tell them you will only pay for a flight to Incheon - never mind that Jeju definitely HAS an airport.

then ask them to re-read article 9.4

if blank stare/denials persist, ask them if they graduated high school.

ask for proof.

and then think long and hard about renewing at a school that is so clearly full of complete idiots.

[farrepatt]

Your school should not be having this much trouble with the contract. It's available in English and Korean. It's very straight forward. They pay for your flight here.

If you had stopped in LA for a few days, then they could make the argument, but they have no basis to dispute it.

I'd guess 60-80% of all GEPIK teachers have to make transfers en route to Korea. I've never heard of this problem before.

Hopefully your school is just a little dim, but I'd be a bit concerned that they're already starting down an annoying path. I work at GEPIK and my school is great, they pay me properly and I never have problems. My wife's school is the opposite and they try and nickel and dime her at every chance they get. It's amazing how different GEPIK schools can treat their foreign teachers.

I mentioned it earlier, but make sure not to bend. You are in the right and you really don't want to set a precedent for being a push-over. I'd call Dain Bae and get her to set your school straight if it's not cleared up soon.

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