Korean Job Discussion Forums

[roundrug]

Any female teachers out that who have had a baby while on a teaching contract, in particular at a Korean university? Did it cause the school to terminate your contract, or not renew when the chance to renew came up? Is there a dying chance of maternity leave?

I am married and considering getting pregnant within the next few years. But I am worried if I get pregnant now I won't be able to renew my (2-year) contract. Thinking of waiting till after it is renewed (a good while from now) and then get pregnant then, and try to time it to happen during one of the breaks, but, what can you do, really?

Any "best" way to do this, or should I just assume I am risking my job no matter what?

[Swampfox10mm]

This country is so baby obsessed, yet the work culture so anti-baby and anti-woman it�s a stitch. The culture is going to whittle away to a hodgepodge of everything else within 100 years if Korean mothers arent supported more.

[jinks]

Three women (foreign English instructors) have had four babies at the uni I work at - no problems. Only one of the babies came during the vaction period, the others required paid maternity leave during the semester.

[Swampfox10mm]

[jinks]

Yes, all renewed at the next opportunity (2 out of 3, the latest mum will be up for renewal soon; the other two already renewed since maternity leave)

[busanmum]

Myself and another mum at my university had babies and were both renewed.

I had mine in December and took November, December and January as my 3 months paid maternity leave. I renewed my contract March 1st.

The other mum had her baby after final exams in June. She got July, August and September paid maternity. She renewed her contract September 1st.

Another woman I know at another Busan university is expecting now but isn't getting paid maternity leave. She is getting renewed though.

Finally, another woman at PUFS a while back had two children while working there, got full maternity and was renewed after both births. She moved home when her youngest was 3 I think.

[cdninkorea]

Who covered the classes during the maternity leave? Or were they just cancelled?

[decolyon]

I think it looks better (from the Korean perspective) if you're married and this is you and your husbands way of building a family.

I think the only thing that gets frowned on are the unmarried girls that get a bun in the oven and teach kids. When it becomes obvious you're preggers, unless you lie, it's kind of hard to get around the "but you have no husband" thing from students and moms. Remember, Korea is like America in the 50's. Unmarried pregnancies aren't supposed to happen. Everyone's a virgin till their married

I'm no saying I agree with all that, that's just what I've seen happen here.

[cert43]

Always a "virgin" for the benifit of the man..