Korean Job Discussion Forums

[livingthedream]

My school has offered to renew my contract, but want me sign either a 5 or 17 month contract. I started at the school at the end of September, so they want me to finish the propsed contracts at the end of the school year(end of Feb).

Well, they said they can't let me do a regular year contract. Isn't GEPIK only allowed to give 1 year contracts???

I wouldn't mind staying in this job, but 5 and 17 months don't work for me..............

[OculisOrbis]

Immigration doesn't like to give new E-2 teaching visas for periods of less than one year, sometimes they do. Some POE's refuse to give contracts for less than one year, whether it's a new hire or renewal, but that's an unwritten policy and is flexible whenever they feel like it as they see fit. Some will take a renewal for six months, but not less than that. It all depends on what they want, there's no rule in Gepik, Epik, Cepik, Smoe, etc. that specifies a minimum or maximum contract period.

It kind of makes sense that they would want someone to start at the beginning of a semester, but if you don't sign for the periods they want, will they wait five months to hire someone new? They probably haven't even considered that you might turn down their offer.

A contract renewal is between you and the school and you can sign a new contract for any period of time. It's immigration that would have a rule to limit it to a minimum amount of time, but they don't. Signing a contract renewal just involves going to immigration, filling in an application for an extension of sojourn and paying 30 000w. You can extend your sojourn for as little as one day if you'd like and if you and your school have a signed contract to that effect.

[lifeinkorea]

I would do the 17 month thing with the understanding you might want to leave after 5. They can give you a release letter and you can change after 6 which is only 1 more month than they are asking.

That's one workaround.

[OculisOrbis]

It sounds more like the OP wants to stay one more year...at least it's more than their 5 month offer and less than their 17 month offer. Unfortunately, compromise is not a common negotiating tactic here. It's take the offer or f-off.

You can sign the 17 month deal, but you need to get airfare provided after 12 months. You should get 1 year retirement benefit put in the contract, but you dont need to since that's labor law and you'll get it anyway even if you have to fight for it.

The only problem with asking for airfare after 12 months is that they will know you arent going to stay after that. If you dont mind sucking up the airfare home, just tell them you accept the 17 month contract and give them notice at the 11th month. Just make sure your notice will clear 12 months of employment and you will be entitled to the retirement benefit too. The only thing you will lose is your airfare home.

Other posters here have said that if you extend your contract for any period of time past 12 months, even if you are paid the retirement benefit, you are still entitled to the prorated retirement for the time worked beyond 12 months. I agree that may be true, but you will likely have a big fight on your hands and there's a good chance you wont win. Stay an additional 12 months and you can't lose.