Korean Job Discussion Forums

[alphalfa]

For those of you currently (or considering) working in the after-school programmes at public elementary schools with a company called DAEKYO , be very aware of what you're getting yourself into.

Red flags : (with contract language)
1. teaching hours - " teaching hours will be 120 hours per month. The regular teaching time will be from one to six in the afternoon. Working days will be from Monday to Friday "
@@ contradictory statements to say the least!! wtf? The maximum amount of regular teaching time in one month is approx 100 hours. You're no way near 120 teaching hours per month. The company's goal is to get you to 120 hours any way they can BEFORE you receive OT ( and make themselves feel better in justifying paying you the level 2 salary.) So, they can have you do free open classes on many occasions - it's not uncommon to teach 40 hours in a week [ 20 regular teaching hours and 20 hours of open classes ] Even if I work 25 hours in each of the remaining 3 weeks until next pay, I am STILL BELOW the 120 hours per month. The company hangs it's hat on the 120 hour per month label and NOT on the regular teaching time.
2. paid vacation - " the teacher will receive 1 week(weekends inclusive) summer vacation and 1 week(weekends inclusive) winter vacation.
@@wtf? how can they include the weekends during the vacation period when I don't work weekends anyway? Normally, you would get Mon-Fri off as vacation(weekends as bookends) for a total of 9 days. But with this company you get a total of 5 days (Sat to Wed/ Wed to Sun) for each vacation period.
3 housing - should you have to replace the water meter(gauge) just outside your apartment at any time during your stay , the company will not help with the cost of replacement. This happened to me twice in a 6 week period last winter. It's not an issue of cost as much as it is a point of principal. " teacher is required to pay the cost of monthly service , utility and telephone charges during their stay."
4. Management system - "teachers are expected to follow the directives of the supervisor and cooperate with the supervisor regarding all academic matters." A clear example of a ' just do and don't ask why policy'.
5. termination - "if the teachers quits before completing one year, the teacher must teach until the replacement teacher starts teaching." Should you quit with sufficient notice ("minimum 40 days") a letter of release will not be granted with JUST sufficient notice. The out -going teacher must teach until a replacement is found and starts teaching.
6. " pay will be negotiated according to teachers' performance of his/her initial year." LIE . It depends entirely upon the programme at your school maintaining it's current level of students. Seasonal factors, fickle parents and competing interests all contribute to fluctuating student numbers something we have no control over.
7. teachers' meetings on SATURDAYS. Two times a year, work on Saturday only within the 120 hours. Extra to contend with.

Finally, they got you by the balls with the "120 hour" label. They purposely set the teaching hours at 120 hours per month knowing full well the regular teaching hours are only 100 per month. I put my trust in them not to abuse the "intent" of the contract. On numerous occasions , they used me because they saw an opportunity to do so. Don't let this happen to you.

[alphalfa]

The title is simply a play on words - "teathered , as in tar and feathered. Of course, the correct spelling for those who don't know is tethered.
Go back to eating your kimchi, now.

[kiwiliz]

Thanks for the heads up, i will make sure I avoid that. I had a previous school try that vacation , '5 days off including weekends' before also. It was one reason I did not sign the contract, that was not what they promised on the phone.

I wonder how many people fall into that trap. Its really sad when employers feel they have to try it.