Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kelly Coleman]

Hello All

I am a newbie to the forum so please do not beat me up to much.
I have been looking (Dave's ESL Cafe) for a forum on contracts but I have not really found one so i hope it is OK if I post my question here.
I am 46 years old and I just graduated college last December. To make a long story short I was a Master/Contractor Plumber (starting at 18 years old) in the states and turned 40.. Mid-life crisis and I wanted to follow my dream to be an art teacher. One thing led to another and I just signed a contract with Best English School in Gangneung. I need to also add that I went through a recruiter and if anyone is looking for someone that will work hard to find you a job talk to Anne Kim at U.E.C.. If anyone has any black list about her or this company I would like to know. anyway I am a newbie and a little older then the average teacher. From what I have read I have a pretty average contract but I would like to post it and hope I can get some feed back from the old hands (old hands=seasoned=not bitter) OK here is my contract..

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR TEACHER
FIRST YEAR CONTRACT

This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT has been made this from Dec.1, 2006 to Nov , 30 , 2007 between Best English School being represented by established under the laws of south Korea at Republic of Korea and write your full name as same as your passport a citizen of
write your country whose passport number is ___write your passport number__________
(hereinafter referred to as the "Teacher") under the terms and conditions set forth below.
Both parties agree on the following terms and conditions :

CLAUSE 1 (APPOINTMENT)
a. The employer agrees to employ the teacher during the period stipulated herein
b. The teacher agrees to accept the employment and will work in his/her full
capacity for the school

CLAUSE 2 ( EQUAL IDENTITIES & WORKLOAD )
a. The employer and employee are individuals of equal value and respectability
coming together respectfully to exchange their services.
b. The service of the employee is to offer certain agreed-upon 30 teaching hours a
week in the humane way he/she agreed
upon here or hereafter. The employer will return the employee's energy and
efforts material and service support such as proper housing , salary , as mutually
a upon here.

CLAUSE 3 ( PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT)
a. The total agreement term is approximately one year , commencing from the date of arrival in korea and to the last teaching day of the teacher's twelfth teaching session.
b. The term of this agreement includes an orientation period , twelve consecutive
teaching sessions , and all scheduled vacations and holidays that fall between
or during teaching sessions.
c. The teacher agrees to discontinue his/her residence in Korea under the visa
status arranged and sponsored by the employer and leave from the status within five days of termination of this contract.

CLAUSE 4 ( THE TEACHER DUTIES)
a. During the term of this agreement , the teacher must cooperate and comply with the instructions and disciplines of the school . Assisting the supervisor he/she must carry out assignment as directed by the employer.
The supervisor will be responsible for establishing and communicating the standards of performance as related to the above mentioned duties.
b. The teacher must have adequately prepared for the class in advance
c. At all times during the term of this contract , the male teachers should wear ties and the female teachers will wear dresses or dressy pantsuits in the school unless otherwise instructed.
d. In case the teacher is absent from the class , and thus unable to teach the class , even with a sudden notice , the employer will determine the situ and consider it as a sick day or a non-sick day.
e. The teachers work will include the followings :
a) Teaching of English language
b) Development of educational programs and materials
c) Curriculum design and implementation
d) Indoors and outdoors classroom activities for/with students
e) Grading and assessment of students
f) Student counselling or evaluation
g) Attending at teachers meetings , workshops , parents meetings and school events
h) Other related activities

CLAUSE 5 ( SALARY AND WAGE )
a. The employer agrees to pay the teacher a monthly salary of 2.0 million won for 120 teaching hours per month.
b. The payment of the salary is to be made in 1 st of the following month
c. Each teaching hour exceeding the 120 working hours is considered as overtime. And the payment for the overtime will be 18,000 won per each working hour.
d. Attendance at scheduled staff meetings and workshops should be mandatory and are not accounted for the overtime.

CLAUSE 6 ( WORKING HOURS )
a. During the terms of this agreement , the teacher should work in proper manner and under good cooperation with the supervisor from Monday to Friday.
b. The teacher can be requested by the supervisor to participate in the scheduled staff meeting and workshop.
c. The employer can not guarantee the teacher for such classes of specific times as requested by the teacher.

CLAUSE 7 ( TAX )
Income tax and retirement taxes will be deducted off the salary according to the Korean tax law(3.3%).

CLAUSE 8 ( TRANSPORTATION )
a. The employer is to provide the teacher with an economy class ticket and from the nearest international airport to the teachers residence in Korea.
b. After completion of the one-year contract , the teacher will be provided with a return ticket . The return air ticket will be provided at the time of termination of employment.
In the event that the teacher 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).
c. Air tickets provided cannot be exchanged for cash equivalents or transferred to persons other than the teacher. Employer does not agree to, and is not liable for, compensation to teacher, whether in cash or otherwise, for air tickets which are not used by teacher.
d. In case the teacher leaves the school before his/her contract period ends, the school will not pay for his/her return ticket.
e. If the teacher leaves the school before six (6) months period of this contract for his/her own sake, the teacher must reimburse the school the cost of the ticket the school has paid for his /her trip to Korea or the school may deduct the same off the teachers last month payment.

CLAUSE 9 ( MEDICAL INSURANCE )
a. The teacher will be covered by medical insurance under the Korean Medical Insurance Union , a private health organization.
b. The half of the insurance premium will be paid by the Employer and the other half by the teacher.
( For reference , the current insurance premium rate is 1.5 % of a monthly income)

CLAUSE 10 ( VACATION & HOLIDAYS )
The teacher will be allowed for 10days holidays as specified by the Institute with national holidays.

CLAUSE 11 ( ACCOMMODATIONS )
a.The school will provide the teacher with furnished accommodations
a. The school will provide the teacher with furnished single accommodation.
b. Furnishings being provided by the employer include : television , refrigerator , washing machine, bed , chairs , two-burner gas hot plate , and telephone , etc..
c. Selection of the apartment will be determined by the employer.
d. The cost of monthly service , utilities , and telephone charges for the accommodations will be paid by the teacher .

CLAUSE 12 ( ANNUAL BONUS )
Upon completion of this one year contract , the teacher will receive one month salary of 2.0 million won as a severance payment in accordance with Korean Labor Laws. This Payment will be made at the time of completion of the contract period.

CLAUSE 13 ( DISMISSAL OR VOLUNTARY RESIGNATION )
a. The employer reserves the right to dismiss the teacher from employment for the following causes :
a) Neglect his/her duties stipulated in this agreement.
b) Frequent absences from work.
c) Has received two warning letters.
d) The inability to perform the duties stipulated in this agreement
e) The teachers criminal or misconduct

b. The employer agrees to dismiss the teacher from employment giving 30 days notice . However in case of the teachers criminal or misconduct he/she is to be dismissed from employment
c. In such case as the teacher resigns from employment, he/she can do so giving 30 days notice to the employer.
d. The teacher is not allowed to teach a private class outside the school unless otherwise agreed by both parties. If the teacher teaches a private class outside the school without the employers permission , it would result in dismissal of the teacher , in which case the school has no obligation to pay the teacher a severance payment and the cost of his/her return ticket.

CLAUSE 14 ( GOVERNING LAW & JURISDICTION )
a. This agreement is governed by the law of the republic of Korea.
b. This agreement is made final and firm unless any material modification or amendment to this agreement is executed with the full knowledge and consent of the undersigned and incorporated into this agreement.

In witness there of , we have affixed our signatures hereon .


Teacher Employer

Date Date

Any thoughts would be taken into consideration ..
Thanks in advance
Aimponca

[foystein]

First congratulations on graduating from college. I used to run a college in the states; most of the students were "non-traditional" students. I admire them and you.
As to the contract it is not much different from the states. In reality the contract is the person on the other side. If the owner is a decent person you will have no problems. If the owner isn't the contract might as well be Charmin. Have fun.
Foystein

[Kelly Coleman]

Thanks Foystein

I have this feeling you are 100% correct. I am from OKlahoma, and we are all about family here. It seems to me that most of the time the bad feelings comes from a bad attitude. I personally try to look on the bright side of most things. have a good one
Kelly