Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SaveTheWhales]

I am moving to Korea for the first time soon and recently got a job offer from the ChungDahm Institute. They have offered me a choice of two remuneration packages:

Hourly:
- 28,000
- Guaranteed minimum 96 hrs/month (average 120 hrs/month)
- Full Airfare reimbursement (Return Flight)
- Visa sponsorship
- 7 days unpaid vacation
- 5.0 million KRW housing key deposit for housing. Assistance is also provided.
- 200,000 KRW Relocation Bonus
- 300,000 KRW Signing Bonus
- No severence pay

Monthly:
- 2.3 million KRW
- 96 to 120 teaching hours
- Full Airfare reimbursement (Return Flight)
- Visa sponsorship
- Single housing accommodations (furnished)
- 50/50 Medical Insurance
- Severance pay upon completion of one year contract
- 7 days paid vacation
- 200,000 KRW Relocation Bonus
- 300,000 KRW Signing Bonus

The hourly package earns substantially more money, but the benefits of accommodation and health insurance are lost. I guess what it really boils down to is how easy is it for a Korea newbie to get semi-furnished accommodation at a price that makes the hourly rate better? What other factors do I need to consider?

[laogaiguk]

[spinario]

which city?

[alabamaman]

[SaveTheWhales]

Thanks for the info. I dont have a contract yet, only a memorandum of understanding and consent statements to begin the next phase of getting the job.

The city is Busan at either Dongnae or Kegum. Can anyone tell me about the differences in living in these two locations?

7 days vacation isnt so bad. Some of the other places i've applied for have offered 10 days, and the difference to me is negligible.

There are a guaranteed minimum of 24 hours per week in the hourly package paid at 28,000W per hour. However the MOU states that the average would still be around 120 hours per month

Hourly package:

24hrs X 51 Weeks X 28K = 34,272,000 Won per year minimum
120hrs X 12 months X 28K = 40,320,000 Won per year average minus 7 days unpaid vacation

Monthly package:

2.3 million per month for 120 hours

(12 months X 2.3M) + 2.3M severence = 29,900,000 Won per year


I get paid for any overtime work in both packages at 28K per hour. I also get 5M key money if i take the hourly package. The difference between the two packages are substantial. I am a fairly confident person with tasks like organising accommodation.

[spinario]

enough with this funny math...

i work for CDI

take the the hourly, then email me months from now and send me presents

if you want more info str8 from the source, pm me

[BigBuds]

Remember, if you take the hourly package with the 5 mill key money, that you'll also be paying around 300,000 to 500,000 won per month in rent.

So that's 3.6 mill to 6 mill less per year just for rent.

[Hotpants]

I just wonder what would be the reason(s) why a school should offer 2 different contract options for a full time job like that? Surely anyone would just opt for the better remuneration?

[Big Mac]

All that funny math was one of the reasons I decided not to even do an interview with CDI.

The high pay figures look good, but if you do some reading on the place it sounds kind of scary. When I turned it down, this is what I told my recruiter in an e-mail about what I had read on the place.

--You work a lot of unpaid hours.

--You are expected to work national holidays.

--You are expected to work Saturdays (although some said that they got time off during the week as compensation�in which case I wouldn�t have a problem with it).

--The classes are three hours long.

--You don�t get a break during your teaching block.

--They don�t like you to deviate from the teaching material, so there is no room for new ideas.

--There is a strict company model that is very confining.

--Sometimes they ask you to work at multiple locations.

--All the classes are recorded by CCTV cameras and are picked apart by people in a back room who then nag at you for your performance.

--Housing is sometimes very far away from work, which means that you spend a lot of time travelling.


And then the contract was abysmal....

--There is no mention of the actual hours that I would be expected to be at the school.

--The idea of working Monday through Saturday does not appeal to me�although I would consider it if I got a day off during the week in return for working on Saturday.

--The idea of having to pay a substitute teacher if I get sick is not good.

--There is no mention of sick days. I think three per year is fair.

--They mention that they will �assist in procuring adequate health insurance.� To me, that sounds like they may be offering a private health plan. All I will accept is National Health Insurance. I would also want the percentage specified that I would be paying off my monthly pay�.2.2 per cent.

--The pension sounds good, but again I would want the percentage specified, 4.5 per cent.

--Section 1.6 is too vague. I would want more details on the housing. Is it single housing? Is it furnished? What is provided (fridge, stove, air conditioner, washing machine, bed, TV, microwave, etc.)? How far is it from work?

--In section 1.4, �other withholdings as required by law.� The only things that I know of that should be taken off my pay are pension, health insurance and taxes.

--Speaking of taxes, there is no mention of them. I would want the percentage number specified for whatever my base salary is. For example, if it is 2 million won I would want to see a figure of 1.6 per cent. Of course, I know that the figure depends on my gross earnings for each month�and I�ll agree to pay more based on whatever that number is�.but I would still want a number for my base salary.

--You already know that I wouldn�t agree to the airfare arrangement that is outlined in the contract (they wanted me to buy my own ticket and get refunded in installments). However, you mentioned that you would pay the airfare up front and I would accept that. I would have to be assured, however, that I wouldn�t be expected to pay for the return airfare.

--In section 1.5: if the pay day falls on a weekend or public holiday, most employers I have had pay you early rather than late.

--Section 1.10 is very concerning to me. I would only agree to work Saturdays if I had the option to get a day off during the week in return. I may be willing to work some six day workweeks if the overtime compensation is acceptable�but I certainly wouldn�t want to work six day workweeks for the entire year because it would be certain burn-out.

--In Section 1.11�this sounds like forced overtime, which I will not agree to.

[braunshade]

You should really consider all your options before settling on CDI.

You will be working all National Holidays.

There are no breaks around New Years, or any other time of the year. You will be working 51 out if 52 weeks out of the year.

Lots of unpaid prep time.

No breaks at all during your two 3 hour lessons. They are back-to back.

Most CDI`s are franchises, so the quality of your apartment if you choose the salary option will vary upon the hogwon owner. They will still get you an apt if you choose the hourly option. You just have to pay them the rent.

Since most CDI`s are franchises you may or may not be enrolled into any medical insurance or pension. All depends on the integrity of the director.

Speak with current instructors!!!!!!!!!!

[Hyeon Een]

[braunshade]

3 very long hours on your feet (not allowed to sit). All on CCTV too.

There is also a ten day hold on your pay too........payday is on the 10th for the previous month worked.

[big_blue_21]

Those were some good points that have been brought up . . . I want to answer them.

(1) You are required to be at the school from 3.40 to 10.00 (twenty minutes before class starts)

(2) It's true . . . there are no breaks between classes (at least not dinner breaks)

(3) You can get a two-day break, but it will fall during the week, not on the weekends (except for one lucky person I heard of)

(4) Workshops do take up a lot of time, but you can meet with your Head Instructor one-on-one instead. Since it's one-on-one it will take up a lot less time and probably be more effective.