Korean Job Discussion Forums

[relaxed111]

Bleep bleep bleep,
I am working at a public school in Incheon, and my contract runs from September 1, 2009 to August 31, 2010. Well I am leaving to attend a one year University course in New Zealand, starting on March 1.
You have to give 30 days notice. I turned in a notice on Tuesday January 19, with a date of March 1st to my school who were to forward the notice to the School Board.
First change, School board wanted the date changed one day earlier to Feb 28. No reason given. Done the date is now Feb 28 and passed back to them on Thursday January 21.
Now, the school board is telling me that while I have my vacation days from February 17 to Feb 28, I have to be in Korea to finish my contract???? No where does it say that in the contract. And, my flight is leaving on Feb 22 in the evening.
So, I just said now, okay, then change my date of termination to February 22. Oops!!! Sorry the head of the native teachers is not in, so the school board will not accept it formally until�late next week!!! Way pass the minimum of 30 days, even if it goes pass today it is pass the 30 days.
Look it is simple I do not want to cause any problems for myself as my student visa for New Zealand is being processed�in HONG KONG and takes 4 to 6 weeks to do. If I do not get the visa (only thing left to be done) then look for another job here. But, if I get problems with immigration from this???
Bleep bleep bleep
So any suggestions? Besides Bleep Bleep Bleep

Well just got off the phone with the school board rep, now as I took my extra two weeks vacation last summer for resigning a new contract then, I have to pay that money back/take it from my next pay check if I leave under 6 months. They want me to stay to March 2nd Tuesday and work terminating on 3rd meaning I can leave Tuesday night. Great, and my classes start on the 1st and have to get an apartment.

Crap

[PeterDragon]

Just a tip--- leaving without the proper 30 days notice isn't actually illegal. You could fly out tomorrow and nobody would stop you.

The only people directly affected by your leaving without proper notice are the management at your school. As long as they feel properly informed, you should still be able to leave with a good reference. If you leave "early" during the vacation days that you (supposedly) have to take in country, the worst you face is not getting paid for those days, having your salary in February reduced pro-rata. In fact, you can fill out some forms and take these as unpaid days legitimately. I would also recommend actually calling the EPIK main office to figure out what the real rules are--- it doesn't seem like you should have to take your paid vacation in country.

In other words, what you're really looking at is losing a a few hundred dollars and pissing off people who you can't use for a job reference anyway.

[relaxed111]

PeterDragon, you are correct in general as I understand, but here is what I just found out, as I took the two week vacation last summer, I have to pay that back if I leave early...Ok that is fair I used it, and if I am under the 6 months of employment with my termination day.

But, no where in the contract does it say,
1. I have to be in country when I terminate.
2. I can not use a vacation day to terminate.
3. I can not use a Korean national holiday as a termination day.
4. I can not use a date on the weekend as a termination day (I changed to Feb 28 based on their request, now it is not allowed).

I will be talking on the week with my head English teacher, with a contract pointing out that it does not say any of these things. And, come on how many teachers here at the end of their contracts on their vacations leave and go home legally each summer in August.