Korean Job Discussion Forums

[katsu]

wondering what are your conditions for public afterschool (not in Gyeonggi)...got a pretty vague contract...I worked at a public school and it was a totally different contract, this one just seems to have loop holes

how many teaching hours/working hours r u doing?

do you pay pension?

do you work at multiple schools?

is the name of the school you're teaching at written in your contract.

do ever have to make up missed classes on Saturdays?

do you have the national medical insurance or is it a local insurance?

how many paid sick days do you get?

airfare? is it stated in your contract that you have to repay your flight at any time if you don't finish (even after 6 months)

thanks.

[lifeinkorea]

"how many teaching hours/working hours r u doing?"

I am scheduled for 25 hours a week, but it's more like 22 or 23 depending on the week.

"do you pay pension?"

School pays half, you pay half.

"do you work at multiple schools?"

No, but it's possible. I don't see much point in doing it though for afterschool classes. Students usually have hagwon classes, piano lessons, or taekwondo practice. So, you would have to time it very close or teach young students and then like middle school students later after commuting.

"is the name of the school you're teaching at written in your contract."

Of course, place where you work. If you have to work at a second school, you need that address also on the back of your ARC card.

"do ever have to make up missed classes on Saturdays?"

I did last year once, and it was due to Chuseok. Personally, I liked it cause we got a longer holiday by moving the week to a Tuesday-Saturday work week. That's more of a personal choice.

"do you have the national medical insurance or is it a local insurance?"

I am pretty sure it's all national. Local to best that I know is just in case you get injured on the job. It's not the required medical insurance we all receive.

"how many paid sick days do you get?"

I don't really know. I don't even use my vacation time till the end. So, unless you are looking to milk the system, this is really not worth worrying about. The fact remains, if the school isn't making money by you being absent, then they will replace you.

"airfare? is it stated in your contract that you have to repay your flight at any time if you don't finish (even after 6 months)"

I only saw this for leaving before 6 months. The confusing part is renewing a contract (obviously at the same school). Apparently, you get like 2 weeks vacation between contracts. Some teachers are given a paid flight home and back. In this case, the school might be entitled to get the flight money since they paid for you to go home on the condition you would work another year. I am surprised by the way Koreans do things that they would actually do this, but I guess if they want you a second year, the gamble isn't there as much.

[katsu]

thanks for your answers lifeinkorea.

in terms of paid sick days, i meant in addition to the 10 paid vacation days (or 15 depending if ur in gyeonggi or not), how many paid sick days are stated in your contract. for example for most hogwons it's 3, for public schools 15, and so on. it doesn't mean ur gonna use them all, but sick days should always be stated in the contract.

and in terms of airfare...the recruiter told me that they can't change the clause in the contract cuz they need to think about their end, so basically if you leave after 6 months (it doesn't matter if it's an emergency or u just don't get along, etc) u still must repay your airfare...i find that very strange and was wondering if this is an afterschool thing, but i guess not cuz you're only asked to pay within the first 6 months (like normal hogwons and public schools). i wonder how i can have that clause changed...

[lifeinkorea]

Again, sick days should not be an issue. If you are sick, you should stay home. If you are sick too much, you will be replaced. If it said 1 day or 100 days, it doesn't matter.

It's like you are planning on being sick. You have bigger issues with this airfare thing.

If they don't change it so you don't have to pay back the airfare after 6 months, then all they have to do is fire you past the 6 month mark when they want and get that money back.

Therefore, I would tell them you like the contract as it is except for the flight issue. I wouldn't take this job until they changed it.

[katsu]

i think sick days are an issue..i've heard of some hogwons not giving u any paid sick leave and then when ur sick they have to deduct u. i've worked in korea a few years now and don't abuse the system, but i do have that nasty flu once every year or so i want to make sure that i am entitled to at 3 paid sick days. i don't think it's fair to be robbed off of paid sick days when everyone else gets them in the contract. it's just good to have in case u do come down with something...

the recruiter did send me the contract and asked to make the changes i want and send it back to her for approval..did mention the airfare again and i guess i'll have to see...didn't know afterschool contracts have so many loopholes...i guess i was expecting it to be more similar to a public school contract than anything else (aside the vacation and 15 paid sick days)...

i'm actually a bit confused who the contract is by...shouldn't it be by the office of education? The employer is the principal of the public school? Public schools are poor how are they gonna pay me? it's usually the office of education...

[lifeinkorea]

Well, you are obsessing about the system, so don't expect a quick answer. You can choose to focus on the airfare issue cause that is the big pin in all this which will make your other queries unnecessary to answer. I will explain.

[katsu]

i think i'm starting to have more questions now that i spoke to the recruiter...she basically said they don't want to change it (airfare) but then said she got it approved to change the repayment airfare, BUT from 8 months on if an emergency arrises on the part of the employee, he/she will not be liable to pay back the ticket after 8 months...
i mean i've never heard of 8 months?
i asked who is to pay me and she said this..office of education pays the principal/school, they inturn pay some company which then pays me...all of this sounds skeptical to me, but then i've never worked for an afterschool program...

i dont understand when you said your pay is greatly influenced by your relationship with your headteacher?? whatt?? never heard of pay being inflenced by the headteacher...pay is part of the contract. It shouldn't matter what my relationship is with the teacher is?

[lifeinkorea]

[katsu]

hey there...thanks for your lengthy answers...i decided to decline the position...some things were off and i dont want to risk anything...i think i'm better off going with a public school.
no more public afterschools for me...wish u all the best