Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MinneasotaGirl]

Hey, my boyfriend, and I have been offered a position through YBM ECC in Kangdong. We have e-mailed and spoken with the Canadian couple we will be replacing. Also, we have seen pics of the school and apartment. I feel like everything is pretty legit. They offered us 2 million won. This is just a sample contract. It will not let me paste, so here is the website

http://www.ybmecc.co.kr/index.asp?sub1=sample

Thanks for your help!
Leah

[Grotto]

Again a problem with ECC/YBM is that they state 12 teaching sessions....if you come in halfway through a teaching session it doesnt count towards your time in.....There is also no mention of how long a teaching session is and this can be abused to keep you here longer...teaching session is???40 days? then you would be here for 480 days....much longer than a year....misleading!

142 40 minute classes...do the math...142/5=35.5 classes a week! Thats slightly more than 7 per day....thats alot of teaching....add in break time your day would be about 6 hours per day minimum(without a break longer than 5 minutes).

Another red flag is: if they dont fill up your schedule with classes they will give you pointless busy work....phone interviews etc....totally crap!

Teaching days are Monday- Saturday nuff said!

They mention minimum amount of classes...it should be maximum!

You have to come in an hour early and prep 2 hours a day

overtime rate is crap! Saturday pay rate is super crap! You could work 2 classes every Saturday for a month+ and only get 75,000 won!

Unflexible exchanging of air tickets for cash or other location!

Visa only partially subsidized!

Vacation is portioned out at thier leisure....you dont get a real vacation!

Shared accomodations!

Damage deposit

Airfare held over your head for 12 months...after 6 months you shouldnt be libel for the airfare to Korea!

ECC/YBM suck! There are several threads on this board attesting to that! Look for a better job....ECC just likes to rape newbies for a year! People who work for ECC dont renew their contracts....they move on to better things!

Crap contract from a crap company!

[jacl]

Run, Terry, run. Wherever the world may find you. Run Terry, run.

[plattwaz]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Yesterday]

[MinneasotaGirl]

Thank you so much for all of your help! After speaking to the director here is the amended contract:
I know that YBM ECC have a bad rap, but this position seems like a good one, it is a very small school. They do not have classes on Saturdays, and at least through YBM you can be sure to get paid on time. Am I still naive to be considering this position?


Kangdong ECC Contract
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR ECC INSTRUCTORS

This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT has been made this June 2nd, 2006 by and between YBM Si-sa-yong-o-sa Language Inst.; having its office, 5F, Goewo Bld., 47-2 Myoungil-dong, Kangdong-Gu, Seoul 134-070 (hereinafter referred to as "employer"); and Andrew W. Fyten, a citizen of USA whose current mailing address is______________________________________________ _______________________with the contact phone number (______)___________(hereinafter referred to as "employee")

1.0 Employer and employee agree to the following:

Employee accepts employment from employer to work as an English instructor under the terms and conditions set forth here in this agreement for a period of 12 full and consecutive teaching sessions (12 months). Employment commences from the first day of class on Aug 3, 2006 and finishes on the last teaching day of the last teaching session covered under this agreement. Employee will be required to arrive 3 to 7 days prior to this start date to undergo orientation and training. Employer will provide temporary accommodation during this period until the regular accommodation is ready.

Duties
During the term of this agreement, the employee is required to prepare for, teach, and carry out all required administrative duties connected with classes assigned by the employer such as lesson preparations, student evaluations, teacher meetings, workshops and mandatory arrival time. The minimum teaching requirement is 95 (142-forty minute classes) actual teaching hours per session and in the case employee receives less than the above listed classes employer shall still pay the listed monthly salary and assign other teaching or administrative duties. Monday through Saturday are teaching days except for regularly scheduled public holidays and vacation days. Employee(s) assigned Saturday classes will receive additional compensation listed under section 3.1b
Total teaching hours in excess of the minimum requirement listed above is calculated each session as overtime payment according to the overtime payment rate listed in section 3.1
Payment made for assigned teaching hours is inclusive of payment for preparation and administrative duties, which includes; preparing evaluations, attending meetings and workshops scheduled by employer.
At all times during the term of this agreement, employee will directly adhere to and obey all the rules and regulations that have been, or may hereafter be established, by employer for the conduct of employee or generally for the conduct of instructors at the place of employment.
2.5 Mandatory Preparation and Arrival time

During the first 3 months of employment all first-year ECC employee(s) will be required to arrive at

least 1 hour before the start of their first class and prepare for lessons at least 2 hours per day. All

employee(s) will be required to arrive at least 1 hour before the start of their first class and prepare for

lessons at least an hour per day or according to the employer�s academic standards. Failure to abide

the mandatory preparation and arrival time can result in verbal or written warnings being issued to the

employee.

3.0 Compensation and Other Treatment of Employee

3.1 Salary: The monthly salary will be 2,000,000 Won with 2 payments made within two days after the last teaching session as part of the severance pay. No part of the thirteenth payment will be paid unless the employee completes the full (12 session) one-year contract. Overtime payment is made at the rate of 18,000 Won per 40-min class. Teaching salary will commence from the first day of teaching. When an employee is absent from scheduled teaching duties salary will be deducted accordingly. Korean income taxes and Korean National Pension Scheme deductions will be withheld. Salary payments will be made on or before the eighth day of the month following the teaching session during which the employment services were provided.

3.1a National Pension Tax Refund: Currently exclusive to employees holding passports from the USA and Canada. Under current Korean tax regulations/tax treaty with the respective countries full time contract employees holding passports from the United States and Canada shall receive the accumulated pension tax payment made each month over the course of employment at YBM ECC plus the equivalent co-payment made by employer directly from the Korean National Pension Tax Office (http://www.npc.or.kr/ Click English link). Employees who hold passports from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa may inquire with their home countries tax office on the current tax treaty bylaws with Korea and means of receiving reimbursement or credit for paying into the Korean pension tax fund.

3.1b Saturday Teaching Bonus Payment: In the event employee is assigned to teach Saturday classes the employee will receive one of the following respective payments in addition to the base salary. 75,000 won per month for teaching 3 to 8 (40 min) Saturday classes per session

100,000 won per month for teaching 9 to 16 (40 min) Saturday classes per session

130,000 won per month for teaching 17 or more (40 min) Saturday classes per session

Orientation and Training: Shortly after arrival in Korea, employee will be required to undertake orientation and training before commencing teaching. The period of training and orientation will usually be two to four days. Employee will receive payment of 30,000 Won per each day of training and orientation. Orientation hours less than (6) hrs per day will be prorated.
Transportation: Employer will provide for employee an economy class ticket for passage to Korea from an international airport mutually agreed to by employer and employee (henceforth referred to as point of departure). The cost of the arrival tickets shall be listed as part of the first month income and taxed accordingly. On completion of the full 12-session contract period, employer will provide for the employee an economy class ticket for passage from Korea to point of departure. The return air ticket will be provided at the time of termination of employment. In the event that the employee continues employment under a subsequent employment agreement with employer, the return air ticket will be provided at the time of completion of the subsequent contract period(s). Air tickets provided cannot be exchanged for cash equivalents or transferred to persons other than the employee. Employer does not agree to, and is not liable for, compensation to employee, whether in cash or otherwise, for air tickets not used by employees.
Relocation Allowance: Employer will pay employee within (10) days of arrival or within (4) days after employee begins teaching duties, 200,000 Won to help defray the cost of settling in Korea. Employee(s) contracted for less than 12 sessions but at least 6 sessions will receive a prorated relocation allowance.
Visa Application Fee Subsidy: Employer will pay employee, 50,000 won to subsidize part of the E2 visa application fee. Employee(s) contracted for less than 12 sessions but at least 6 sessions will receive a prorated visa fee subsidy payment.
Paid Sick Classes: Employee�s under the 12-session contract will be entitled to 10 paid sick classes with a medical note from a physician or confirmation/approval by the employer. Classes missed for non-medical reasons or unverifiable medical condition will result in prorated deduction from employee�s monthly salary. Employee(s) contracted for less than 12 sessions but at least 6 sessions will receive prorated terms.
3.6b Attendance Bonus: Under the 12-session contract employer will pay employee an attendance bonus

for the following levels of attendance

300,000 Won bonus for missing no classes (Medical or non-medical reasons)

200,000 Won bonus for missing 5 or less classes (Medical or non-medical reasons)

100,000 Won bonus for missing 10 or less classes (Medical or non-medical reasons)

Employee(s) contracted for less than 12 sessions but at least 6 sessions will receive prorated terms.

Holidays and Vacation: Employee will be entitled to observe regular annually scheduled public holidays and receive vacation days during the contract term according to a yearly schedule provided by employer before the commencement of the year to which the schedule refers. There are ten (10) vacation days in each calendar year (January - December).
3.8 Medical Insurance: Employee will be covered by medical benefits under the Korean Medical Insurance Union (http://www.nhic.or.kr/ Click English link) a Government Health Organization. The cost of this coverage will be borne half by employer and half by employee. Employee�s share of this coverage will be deducted from employee's salary, monthly.

3.9 Accident Compensation: In the event that employee sustains injuries from an accident or mishap which occurs outside the course of normal work duties; employee understands and agrees that employer will have no responsibility for, nor obligation to pay, medical and hospital costs which are in excess of those covered by medical insurance.


4.0 Housing


4.1 Employer will select and provide semi-furnished private bedroom for employee. Employee will share a kitchen and bathroom. Furnishings provided by employer for common use by employees sharing accommodation include: A kitchen table and chairs, two-burner gas hotplate, a refrigerator, a telephone, a television, and a washing machine. Furnishings provided to each employee include: a bed, a dresser, and a fan. Employee will have to supply his or her own pillow, pillowcase and bed sheets. In the case employee receives single accommodation employer will provide these items as listed above for the employee�s single accommodation. Employee will not be held responsible for furnishings/items that need repair or replaced due to normal wear and tear. In the case items are damaged through neglect or destruction by employee or his/her visitors then the cost of repair or replacement will be borne solely by the employee. Employee will be responsible for maintaining the accommodation in the same order employee received it under which shall include cleanliness of all living quarters, kitchen, kitchen sink, bathroom and furnishings. In the event employer must hire a cleaning person to restore employee�s accommodation the cleaning fee will be deducted from employee�s salary or housing deposit.

4.2 Employee(s) is responsible for all maintenance, utility and telephone charges for accommodation provided by employer. Maintenance and utility charges will depend on employee(s) usage.

4.3 Employee agrees to a deduction of 200,000 Won per month from the first three months of employment totaling 600,000 Won as housing management deposit. This deposit is to cover any unpaid monthly service, utility, and telephone charges at the completion of this contract and/or resignation or dismissal of the employee before the termination of this contract. Employer agrees that payment of remaining amounts of the deposit will be made to employee within ten days after all outstanding monthly service, utility, and telephone charges have been paid. Employer shall return the full amount of this deposit at the same time as the last salary & severance payment which shall be made within two days of the last teaching day if another employee co-signs the housing deposit debt guarantor form.

5.0 Dismissals or Voluntary Resignation


5.1 Employer will have the right to dismiss employee for unwillingness or inability to meet conditions of employment as set out under this agreement, for conduct seriously jeopardizing any student or staff person, or for criminal activity.

In the event that the employee is dismissed, or in the event that the employee voluntarily resigns prior to the termination of the term of this agreement, employer will pay salary due to date of termination. Employer will not pay the cost of return transportation to point of departure for employee. Further, employer will be entitled to withhold an amount less than or equivalent to, but not exceeding, the cost of airfare provided for travel to Korea and other benefits provided to employee. In the case employee gives employer 6 weeks notice and completes the session as stated in the settlement agreement form prior to resigning then employer shall prorate the cost of the airfare and other benefits received.
Covenants
Employee hereby agrees, covenants, and undertakes that he/she will not undertake any teaching duties or employment with any persons or organizations other than the employer. To undertake such employment is a breach of Korean Immigration law and can have serious consequences.
The employee understands and accepts that the rights to use, sale, distribution, or publication of all original material produced by the employee during the course of employee's employment, and for which the employee is compensated as either regular pay, as overtime, or in an agreed-upon lump sum, remain the sole property of employer.
Jurisdiction
7.1 This agreement will be interpreted according to the internal (domestic) laws of the Republic of Korea. A competent court in the Republic of Korea will have jurisdiction in regard to any dispute or claim arising out of, or in connection with, this agreement.

7.2 Employer and employee have executed this agreement on the date indicated below. Intending to be legally bound to, and in witness of, employer and employee have appended their signatures.

_____________________________ __________________________

Employer Employee

___________________ _________________

Date Date

[jacl]

Weren't you listening to us? We said, "RUN!". Don't sign with these dorks. Don't try to fix a superbad contract. Move on. Find something else. They're obviously not professional enough.

[Hater Depot]

All of these newbie-posted contracts always suck. Never is there one where we can say, "Yes, that is a fine contract. Sign it forthwith and posthaste!"

[MinneasotaGirl]

After searching for endless hours for jobs in Korea, it is easy to get discouraged and fall for YBM's fast-talking. I appreciate everyone's sound advice.

Any idea where to look next?

[Grotto]

If they truly were willing to pull their collective heads out of their collective asses they would 'fix' the contract. Removing all the items they 'say' thier school doesnt do!

Why have it in the contract then?

Other jobs out there much better than these guys..keep looking.

Alot of recruiters try to pass off the crap contracts on newbies...tell them you worked in Korea previously and its often amazing how quickly the quality of contracts improve! Dont worry about lying to a recruiter....its their bread and butter!

[jangsalgida]