Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Rather_Dashing]

What do you think?

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Contract

This is a binding contract between the teacher and the school.
The contract term begins, March 1, 2005 and expires, February 28, 2006.
This contract can be renewed two months before the expiration date.
The following are the conditions of the contract:

1. The teacher is responsible for teaching 26 forty-minute teaching blocks over a 5-day week. In addition the teacher is expected to put in at least 10 hours of preparation time per week for their classes, the majority of this to be done at school.

2. Upon successful completion of the contract the teacher will be given one month salary as their severance pay. This will be sent to the teacher one month after they have finished their contract. Any utility bills left outstanding will be deducted out of this amount.

3. If for any reason the teacher elects to resign from the post, the teacher must remain until another teacher can be found as a replacement, and the teacher must cooperate to the best of the teacher��s ability to find a suitable replacement. In addition the teacher forfeits the right to severance pay.

4. The school is responsible to pay the teacher 1,800,000 won every month on the 17th of that month to be deposited in the teacher��s Korean bank account. At the first pay period of the contracted time the teacher will be paid a full months salary. This is for the first half of the first month and the second half of the last month of the contract.

5. The teacher will receive six weeks paid vacation every year. Paid vacation will be divided into two- three week periods in accordance with the schedule of classes and at the employer��s discretion.

6. The school will provide the teacher with a studio apartment. The apartment will be furnished with a bed, closet, bookshelf, kitchen table, two kitchen chairs, a washing machine, refrigerator, TV, a cooking stove, and a fan. At the end of the contracted period the teacher must leave their studio apartment in the same condition that they found it in (clean). Any damaged or missing articles must be paid for or replaced by the teacher.

7. The utility bills are to be the sole responsibility of the teacher with the exception of the gas bill. The school will pay the first 50,000 won of this bill each month. If the amount due exceeds this, the teacher is responsible to pay the remaining portion.

8. The school will reimburse the teacher an amount of 300,000 won for their airfare, on the first pay period. The remaining amount will be reimbursed on the completion of the contract. If for any reason the teacher resigns the 300,000 will be deducted from their last pay period.

9. The teacher is responsible for participating in school functions that take place outside of normal school hours.

10. If the teacher does not show up for work for three consecutive workdays without prior notification, the contract will be terminated. In this case the school retains the right to ask for reimbursement of all costs incurred by the school.

11. If the teacher misses a day and does not give prior warning they will not be paid for that day.

12. If the teacher is sick, and gives sufficient notice, an arrangement for making up the hours will be made.

13. The teacher will pay income tax at the rate specified by current law in accordance with tax agreements existing between Korea and the instructor��s native country. This tax will be deducted from the teacher��s monthly salary and will be paid to the relevant tax office by the school.

14. Standard Korean medical insurance will be provided, at the teacher��s request, with the costs shared equally between the two parties.

15. Although the school can not prohibit your social behavior outside of school hours, please note that:
a. No drinking or smoking in the general vicinity of the school, or in view of students, will be accepted.
b. Coming to work under the influence of alcohol, or smelling of it or tobacco, will not be tolerated.
Any infringement of these stipulations will lead to instant dismissal.

16. Professional appearance must be maintained at all times.

17. The teacher is responsible to follow all rules and regulations of the Korean government during the contract period.

18. The teacher is responsible for following further school rules and guidelines as stated in the handbook. In addition any decision or verdict made by the administration must be followed. Please note the official chain of command. All communication must be processed through this chain.

19. Officially, this school falls under the jurisdiction of the Korean Board of Education. In each classroom the Korean teacher is the one who is the official teacher and is ultimately responsible for what happens in the classroom. Saying this, the immersion program requires the foreign teacher and the Korean teacher to work as a team for the benefit of the student. Unofficially you are equally responsible for the classroom, however all decisions will be ultimately decided by the Korean teacher because they have taken the legal responsibility for the classroom.

20. The foreign teacher is part of two different departments at the school: the Immersion department and the English department. If there are any changes to your schedule you must notify the director of the department that it effects immediately.

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I know the airfare is screwy (I only get it at the END of the contract), the school gave me some sob story about how they made a few bad hires in the past (who hasn't?). Other than that, does anybody else see any red flags? I don't smoke and I'm not a big drinker

[Grotto]

that is hands down the worst contract I have ever seen

There is no reasong to tear it apart. Anyone who signs this contract is a moron.

The only good thing listed in the contract is the 2 three week paid holiday sessions.

Pay is low, schedule is not set out, ten hours prep time
the having to remain until another teacher is found is pure bull.

Section 2 kiss that money goodbye. By labour laws they should have paid you all the money within 14 days of your last day of work. Any good school will pay you on the last day in full.

section 4 is illegal they cant withhold pay

No air con

300.000 won reimbursement for airfare now thats funny

school functions outside school hours

section 10 is too vague and you should never sign a clause like that

making up hours missed for sick days woohooo hooray

smelling of tabacco?

section 18 not a chance.

The school made a few bad hires? Talk to some of the people who work there. Chances are they have screwed around several teachers who have left. 26 classes a week isnt bad but 2 hours of prep a day?

[the eye]

4. the pay is quite low for a 36hour week. red flag
6. is the apartment a 'single' studio? red flag
8. airfare repayment schedule is a little creepy.
does this clause mean one way, or round trip is reimbursed at end of contract? red flag
9. school functions outside of normal school hours. BIG RED FLAG
10. reimbursement for not showing up. understandable red flag.

[kprrok]

[just because]

[Rather_Dashing]

This contract was for a private Christian elementary school with over a 50-year history. It has a good rep from what I hear. It isn't a haggie job. Guess I should have mentioned that earlier

Section 1: They say that the "majority" of prep must be done at school. Majority means is >50%. 26 teaching hours that are 40 minutes long = 17 hours and 20 minutes of actual teaching per week. Even if we threw in the full 10 hours of prep, that's 27.3 hours of actual work. Compare that to a haggie job that has 30 fifty-minute teaching blocks and 2.5 hours of prep, that's 27.5 hours of actual work. It's about even in terms of workload.

Section 2: I agree it's a problem, I'm right now looking up the relevant articles on EFL-Law.

Section 4: they are actually giving me an advance. I get paid for the first half of the first month and the last half of the last month before I even earned it.

Section 6: No shared accomodation. I'll ask that this be written in to the contract.

Section 8: I managed to get dirt-cheap airfare flying with a bumfuck carrier in case they decide to screw me here. I'll actually just write in the amount I paid for the airfare on to the contract.

Section 9: I'll inquire more about this.

Section 10: The standard "don't show up for 3 days and we'll fire you" clause. I've had it on all of my contracts, even those in US!

Section 15: See the opening paragraph.

Section 18: Regular chain of command crap you have to deal with in any school.

Thanks to everyone for their help, if you have any other comments let me know. Otherwise, I'll sign 'er tomorrow.

[just because]