Korean Job Discussion Forums

Aussiekimchi · Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Location: SYDNEY

There are reasons for and against agreeing to this.
It really depends which side of the fence you are standing.
Schools want cash security in case a teacher does a runner, doesn't pay outstanding bills or wrecks the place.
Teachers don't want to pay it because they are worried they may never see it again or other schools don't enforce it so why should my school ask for it?
Like many things in Korea, it is illegal. Schools technically cannot ask a teacher for a housing deposit. But then again doing privates is illegal too.

What do you think?

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

It's a two-way thing. Good schools get fucked by dumbass teachers who disrespect the accommodation and rack up the utilities. On the other hand, schools that nickle-and-dime sometimes withhold some or all of the deposit for fickle reasons.

I respect why they put it in the contract, because there are enough teachers over here that have abused their housing situation, but I'd only agree to it if things were fully laid in the contract of what the deposit actually covers and not receive a surprise at the end, like getting blamed for a c0ckroach infestation, but may have actually started elsewhere in the building, etc...

I remember being nickle-and-dimed on my damage deposit of my first apartment back in Canada. The landlord claimed that the oven was cleaned as thoroughly as it was when I moved in. He took out $75 out of my deposit in cleaning products and time spent.

In Korea, I don't think that it would hurt to snap some pictures of your apartment(most ppl do anyway so they can email mom and dad to show where they are living), and particularly take some pics of the bathroom and kitchen. That way, if the director kicks up a stink on the housing condition compared to how it was when you first moved in, you can show the pics to compare.

RachaelRoo · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Location: Anywhere but Ulsan!

[quote="Aussiekimchi"]Like many things in Korea, it is illegal. Schools technically cannot ask a teacher for a housing deposit. But then again doing privates is illegal too.
[quote]

Not a fair comparison. The laws against privates are enforced and punished with a 2.0 million won fine and deportation. The laws against a Korean employer charging a foreigner a deposit are, I would suspect, never enforced or punished.

Aussiekimchi · Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Location: SYDNEY

Yeah I agree with you Rachelroo, and point well made, but I was suggesting that we as foreigners get our knickers in a knot about something the boss does that is illegal and then go off an do a private.

polonius · Joined: 05 Jun 2004

In my position, I fully understand the necessity of having a housing deposit. We implement it to pay for the bills that come after a teacher finishes their contract. Housing maintenance bill, internet, cable, phone, gas, water, all these bills come one month delayed, some 2. So in order for the school to cover these costs, we hold a housing deposit. Once all the bills are paid, we wire the remaining money home, at our expense. (Wire transfer expense.) There have been times when the deposit didn't even come close to what the teacher owed in bills. But what can you do. The money isn't so that the school has money in case a teacher does a runner. If a teacher bolts, the costs incurred are far higher than the housing deposit.

Homer · Guest

Aussiekimchi,

The deposit question is only illegal if the school witholds money from your pay without the contractual right to do so.

If you sign a contract with clause that mentions deposit then you are agreeing to pay such a deposit hence it is not illegal.

As for the question of deposits itself, I am in complete agreement with chronic here.

Some schools need to ask for deposits due to bad experiences with stupid teachers while other schools use the deposit to nicke and dime teachers. It is up to the teacher to carefully read the contract and then ask other teachers at the school how the deposit is handled and if it is handed back at the end of the contract.

I have worked a a couple of schools that required a deposit. I signed each time and got the money back in full. I had made sure the school was on the up and up before however. I have also worked at a school where a teacher trashed his appartment and left in the dark. The school (a good one) got stuck with the bills. so they started asking for deposits of new teachers...that was warranted.

RachaelRoo · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Location: Anywhere but Ulsan!

I just finished my contract a few weeks ago, and my school simply called the utility companies to find out what I owed up to that date.

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Homer · Guest

That is your interpretation of the law grotto.

However a contract can be considered a collective agreement or a contractual agreement between parties.

Therefore, if a teacher signs a contract with a school and that contract contains a deposit clause then the deposit becomes a legal deduction as the teacher agreed to it.

You may go to court to prove it is illegal with your collective defense grotto but I seriously doubt it would lead to a contract being over ruled on such a clause.

As mentionned it is up to the teacher to read his contract and decide is a deposit is acceptable to him or her.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Homer · Guest

You make a good point Grotto.

I simply doubt a person would have a legal leg to stand on if they went and contested a deposit deduction they had agreed to in a contract.

Best option: read your contract before signing it and ask questions. The accept or reject the deposit question.

Then...move on.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

huffdaddy · Joined: 25 Nov 2005

judge-ing-na · Joined: 15 Dec 2003 Location: beside myself

Is it really illegal? I hope one of the law 'experts' could post a link to the law that says a contract, agreed to by both parties, is illegal.

Further more would you call the labor board to ask if an advance against pay was illegal? It is not something that is covered by most contracts yet is a frequent occurance.

Western teachers like internet, cable TV and cellphone all of which are often supplied because the school puts these services under their (the schools) name. So if you had to choose, what would it be a housing deposit or no internet, cable TV or cellphone?

I think this is something that needs to be negotiated between both parties. I also think it is a reasonable request, however the often quoted 1 weeks salary is a bit excessive.