Korean Job Discussion Forums

[eljuero]

Here�s my dilemma. In fact, it may not be a dilemma it may be my misunderstanding but I�m not sure.

In short, I was hired by SMOE and I�m working at a public school. I've had some rocky points with one of the older teachers but everything has worked out for the best after some work.

When I started at the school I received the airfare reimbursement (1.3W) and W300,000 with my first paycheck.

In addition, the school told me they had a $1000 (1.3W) toward �outfitting the apartment� plates, etc but initially it was implied by my co-teacher �helper� that this was technically from the school and not from SMOE.

Additionally, I�ve felt I was pushed into buying some things for the apartment that the school wanted for future teachers. I have several hundred dollars in things that in fact I wouldn�t have bought but the co-teacher said I had to get. In short, I felt like I didn�t have any recourse or that I misunderstood some aspect of the initial contract.

In re-reading the contract (Article 11) I should �receive� 1.3 KRW as an Entrance Allowance. The co-teacher who pressured me into buying things now says �that�s the money�. In effect, the 1.3 KRW was the money she�s been pressuring me to spend in certain ways. The Entrance Allowance doesn�t stipulate that I had to buy anything specific at all but I couldn�t get past the conceptual roadblock with this particular co-teacher.

What bothers me is I feel like I�ve been pressured into spending almost a thousand bucks under pressure, some of which are things I still do not want when what the school should have done was hand me a check right?

Have I totally missed the boat here and misunderstood this part of the contract and if not do I have any recourse? It�s not a million bucks but, for example, at the end of the contract I would own the stuff I was pressured into buying and if the money is really mine as seems indicated in the contract, I�d certainly try to return some of the stuff!

Thoughts are greatly appreciated.

[jonpurdy]

[eljuero]

Thanks for the feedback on this - what makes or made this a bit confusing was the mixing of "airline ticket" with "settlement allowance" both in my head and various casual conversations. I think a lot of recruitment sites I looked at in the job search process also say rt flight etc. further muddling up my brain. Finally the use of the term "loan" in the text seems like something additional when I've already paid in full for my ticket........

So the things I bought were "extras" for my use or future teacher's use - more than I'd normally buy was the issue and at higher prices than I've seen since arriving - everything from an ironing board and iron which I won't use to a rice cooker which I'll probably not use....the list goes on but the important thing is that it wasn't my money and obviously there's the benefit of getting to use the stuff (at this apt.) if I change my mind about some of it later.

Again, thanks for responding to this.

Because of particulars with this school, it's doubtful I'd resign with them next year - (they are trying to go as private as possible away from SMOE I'm told). I assume I won't be able to get a renewal allowance for merely working for another SMOE school in year 2? It has to be the same exact public school for the renewal benefit?

So it's my impression I'll get the Exit allowance of 1.3 KRW, and any pension money put aside. If I only work and complete one year it looks like I'll get one month of severance then as well?

Again - thanks!

[jonpurdy]