Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Nuggets]

I work for SMOE, and am scheduled for 26 'teaching hours' a week. I am told that every other week, I am the head teacher for 8 classes, and then every other other week I sit back during those 8 classes, and my coteacher takes over. So, every 2 weeks this would average out to 22 hours a week - or so I am told.

I believe that techniquely, I am entitled to OT, which comes out to about $360 month! What are your guys' thoughts? The school is SUPER nice to me, and I don't know how to bring this up without offending anyone and causing any resentment towards me.

What to do!?

[Senior]

They are taking you for a ride. You will end up teaching in those "sit back classes".

[Ramen]

[Bloopity Bloop]

[hapigokelli]

You should efinitely be getting overtime. Just tell them that you are not "allowed" to work those hours according to SMOE. It's in your contract. Do you have a copy?

[nomad-ish]

i would either: (1) wait and see if those "sit in the back" classes really are just that, and if they're not, then ask about overtime (this includes even if they just want you as an assistant to the head teacher).
or (2) just tell my co-teachers that i need that time to plan my lessons so i don't think i'd be able to sit in back.

[buster brown]

What do they want you to do, sit back and observe the Korean teachers while not taking part in the lesson? If you're required to do anything more than that, you're teaching. Whenever you're required to be in the classroom, you should be getting paid for those hours. They're trying to find a way to have you teach more hours and not pay you overtime. I'll give them credit, this would work on alot of teachers.

Now comes the rub, when you explain to them that you know what they're doing and they lose face as a result. You'll have to say something like "I think this is a cultural misunderstanding. In my culture, we're paid for the time we're in the classroom, even if we're mostly observing." This might allow them to back out of their plan to rip you off. Anyone else have a good way for the OP to get paid and still allow her head teacher to save face?

OP, what does your contract say about teaching hours. Does it say "22 hours per week" or "an average of 22 hours per week"? If it's the former, you could use that to get paid. If it's the latter, you'll have to get creative.

[mmstyle]

Actually, I think buster brown is dead on. Yes, you should be getting OT. Yes, they are trying to find a way to not pay you. As another poster said, I think they will steadily require you to do more and more. If you have to show up, you should be paid.

I also can't really think of a "culturally polite" way to address this, other than what buster said. If you immediately give them a way for it to not be "their fault" (just a cultural thing) then you might not have it sort of "blow up" at you. Then again, sometimes, you have to just put your foot down. My husband's school tried to get away with not paying him overtime when he first started, and then, at the end of the year, the tried to do some creative accounting regarding his teaching hours to do it again. He politely but firmly (and not culturally sensitively) told them that he expected to be paid. He let an hour or two slide when he ended up with some free time.

[jmuns]

who cares if it averages out. if you are working more than what the contract says thats OT and they owe you money. grow a pair of 'nuggets' and get whats yours.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[jonpurdy]