Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sheeon]

hey you all, just curious how many of you EPIK instructors are involved in summer intensive workshops? I'm not talking about the regular workshops during summer but a 4 week summer camp style, where you are required to work from 9 to 8 pm, and eat and sleep on site.
This is the first time that the provincial office of education has started this, frankly, I'm not happy about it.
Just interested to know how many other provinces are doing this.
Cheers

[flutieflakes]

and what province is that in??????????????? be sure you are getting paid well.....................

[Mosley]

Ditto flutie!

For that matter, what's this buzz about the "regular"(summer) workshops? You mean teachers' workshops? It's bad enough that I go damn near to Aug. with those-to hell w/extra ones.

Yeah, what prov. are you in?

[sheeon]

Let's just say we're really close to Busan.
They're paying us standard 25,000 over time, but after deducting 22 hours from the amount of hours per week we teach.
(e.g. 40 hours per week - 22 hours (contracted amount of hours EPIK instructors must teach) = 18 hours over time payment per week.
We do get paid for being on site (sleeping in the dorm), and for making up the text.
So all in all we get paid around 2.7 million on top of our normal salary for the month. So I'll be making around 5.4 million roughly for that month which I think too isn't bad.
What I'm not happy about it is that this is now becoming a trend. We don't have a choice in this matter, but have to follow suite.
The korean teacher has jokingly told me to form a foreign teachers' union to fight for our rights. And I don't think it's a bad idea. It will be damn hot in summer, and teaching 8 hours a day isn't going to help our sanity one little bit.

[flutieflakes]

that is pretty good cash although i feel for you in th heat........don't think the office in these parts would try to pull such b.s. though

[Real Reality]

sheeon wrote,
"It will be damn hot in summer, and teaching 8 hours a day isn't going to help our sanity one little bit."

The memories you can relate to your family.

[TJ]

This is my second year with EPIK and I have not been asked to do this .... yet. If I am asked it will be a difficult decision to make. The money would be nice but I value my free time.

I guess a factor to consider would be that the students are probably the better, more motivated ones.

[sheeon]

No these are not students, but middle school teachers. They're fairly motivated bunch I guess, but going back to the issue, what is the legal amount of hours we are required to work? It's a bit vague, since on the contract it says we have to work for 22 hours, but anything over that, they pay us over time. But I think 40 hours teaching per week over the period of 4 weeks straight is just ridiculous. Isn't there a labor law or some kind of limit the employers are to adhere to?

[TJ]

Sorry, I misunderstood your first post. I thought you were referring to school students.

Yes, I have taught at an intensive workshop for teachers. I wouldn't let the word 'intensive' worry you. It's not all that difficult - or it wasn't when I was involved.

You will probably have to prepare a 'text' which will be used as a basis for the 'lessons'. This can involve a lot of work and I can't remember if I got paid for the time or not.

40 hours a week seems a lot. I don't think I did more than the requisite 22 hours per week. What's more, I was paid for those 22 hours PLUS I still got my usual salary. In effect I got double salary for that period.

There probably are labour laws re the number of hours but not all Korean employers abide by the law.

Hope this is of some help to you.

If you have any specific questions feel free to PM me.

[sheeon]