Korean Job Discussion Forums

noumenalself · Joined: 10 Oct 2008

I really like my current GEPIK school. However, despite the fact that I have a BA in English literature, they are paying me 2 million won a month instead of 2.1 because I signed last years contract (albeit only a few month before the new contract with the new pay scale was released, but fair enough). Now I am on the verge of finishing my first year and getting an online TESOL certification. So this would bring me up to 2.2, but since I have a BA in English, I am wondering if I would be eligible for 2.3. Unfortunately, I am also wondering if this ship has sailed due to my not being employed at the 2.1 rate this past year.

Could anyone more familiar with getting raises under GEPIK help shed some light on my situation? Thanks for your time.

andrewchon · Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 2:02 am Post subject:

If you are at cat3 pay now, you can only go to cat2, not cat2+. There is no 'leaping' of pay scales.
Cat2+ is cat3 and plus .... -Employed as a cat2 teacher at GEPIK for one full year. You could argue that you had cat2 quals but wasn't paid. You could be few month short of one full year, as well.
I don't think you'd qualify as 2.3 mil cat1, even with TESOL, yet.

nathanrutledge · Joined: 01 May 2008 Location: Marakesh

What does last years contract have to do with it? If the degree is in education or english, it should have been 2.1, last year, this year. That didn't change, did it? (I don't have my copy here to check) Anyway, they won't negotiate. I got shafted on a TESOL certificate raise this year, don't hold your breath.

noumenalself · Joined: 10 Oct 2008

Thank you for your replies.

Under the previous contracts, EPIK paid 2.1 for a BA in English, but not GEPIK. That changed with the latest GEPIK contract. I actually brought this up soon after the 2009 contract was released, but they wouldn't budge. I asked Dain Bae and co. but they only confirmed that I signed the 2008 contract and that that was that.

Nathan, what reason did your employer give for not increasing your pay?

nathanrutledge · Joined: 01 May 2008 Location: Marakesh

I was on the 2008 contract and I took a TESOL course. However, the TESOL course was near the end of my contract, when I was getting ready to sign the new contract. I was still under the 2008 contract which said that for completing it, I would be moved up. But they said the new contract didn't allow that. We argued, my argument being that I hadn't even signed the new contract, it didn't mean anything, and that I should get that bump up for the one month I had left, and then, because I was at the higher category, I would sign the new contract for the next category up.

Anyway, had I done the damn thing earlier, it wouldn't have been a problem. So while my friends here make an extra 100k and have the same experience, because I finished so close to my new contract, I got the dick.

ekul · Joined: 04 Mar 2009 Location: [Mod Edit]

Why not refuse to resign until it's rectified? If they end up having to get a new teacher it's going to cost them a lot more than 1.2million over a year.

nathanrutledge · Joined: 01 May 2008 Location: Marakesh

Because I get along with my coteacher, I had plans to take a nice extended break that would have been ruined had I pushed the time back, they weren't going to budge (I had tried for some time) and I have higher ambitions. Getting two years under my belt with a solid recommendation is worth more than the 1.2 or fighting about it. Of course, I'm still cranky about it, but my plans are falling into place, so no complaints on THAT front.