Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hellofaniceguy]

Maybe it's just me and I'm being stubborn....tell me what you think.
If you start work on let's say the 5th of the month...the pay period should go from the 5th to the 4th of the following month. Or if you start on the 10th...it goes from the 10th of this month to the 9th of the following month.. Correct? irreguardless of what date pay day is...it's a month. It does not go from the 5th to the 5th or the 19th to the 19th. Is my thinking wrong? An extra day of work for free?

[vdowd]

In my case our school pays on the 10th of the month for the prior month. If you start on the 5th of June you get paid on July 10 for the time worked in June only.

You final month you get paid on the last day worked - end of the month and the 12 month contract.

Thus if you decide to run on pay day, the school gets about 7-8 days free work in the following month depending on the days involved.

It used to be pay day was the month end but some how the director (without consultation) changed it. It is damned inconvenient to be paid after Cheusok, Lunar New year, too. It involves some real planning and we never get paid early. If pay day in Sunday - it is deposited at midnight Sunday - cannot get it until the bank opens Monday.

So yes it may be worth discussing and understanding the thinking behind the pay period for you but it wouldn't make any difference to my boss. However, if a teacher really needs money like the first month (6 weeks), the boss will give us an advance if we ask nicely about 2 days earlier.

[pecan]

Regardless as to whether you are in Korea or in the U.S., a week or more of a delay is pretty common in the education field.

When I taught in the U.S., at least two or three weeks were withheld. For example, if I started teaching in September, I would get paid at the end October for September. At the end of the contract, I would get paid at the end of July for the last days that I worked in June.

If you have no experience, this may come as a surprise to you. No need to concern yourself, as it will all wash out in the end.

Nut

[hellofaniceguy]

Maybe I was not clear on my letter....when I get paid, what date, etc...is not the issue. My thinking is that if someone starts working on let's say the 12th of this month, pay period is for one month meaning the 11th of the following month. Even if the school is late, you still get paid thru the 11th. Pay periods do not run from the 20th to the 20th or the 5th to the 5th. Being paid late is normal in korea...it's the pay period dates that I am writing about.

[kprrok]

If I understand correctly, you are confused about the length of a month. Hope this helps....

FICTIONAL DATES:

Start: 4 October
Month Ends: 3 November
Paid on 4 November for 4/10 - 3/11

Start: 4 November
Month Ends: 3 December
Paid on 4 December for 4/11 - 3/12

Etc. etc. etc.

Does that clear it up?

KPRROK

[hellofaniceguy]

Exactly. When it starts and ends. KT's where I'm at say no...it's the 5th to th 5th or the 9th to the 9th or the 20th to the 20th. No...I said. If you think that way...you are working one day for free and the owner is happy! My contract states verbatim...5th starting to the 4th of the following month.

[oneiros]

Most hogwan's don't pay that way, though. So, say I start work on October 13th. My first month's pay would only be for October 13th to October 31st. I would receive that pay on November 10th.

[trevorcollins]

You really wanna be picky....?
The average contract calculates your pay by the calender month. BUT the hours are calculated per 4 week period. There's only 28 days in 4 weeks, but approx 30 days per month.....you work 2 days for free.
For example.....MOST contracts say you'll work 6 hours per day 5 days a week. Therefore 30 hours per week, OR 120 hours per month.
In actual fact per calender month / pay period, assuming you work 6 hours a day, you're actually there for 132 hours. But being paid for 120.
Tricky hey, but this sucker would probably be a lost cause to ever fight.

[Grotto]

At my last hogwan I started August 1'st at the end of my contract they told me it ends on August 1'st. I told them no it ends on July 31'st.

The contract is for one year, 365 days and it took a fair bit of me being stubborn before they grudgingly agreed. For some reason some Koreans seem to think it is one month + a day, or one year + a day.

Go figure