Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ghetto5]

I've decided to go home to SA for 2 weeks to 1 month after the completion of my 1 year contract. The boss offered to give me 1 months worth of vaction if I decide to stay on for another year. She will be paying for the round trip ticket from Korea to SA and back.

The problem is my contract ends at the end of Feb 07, she wants to send me home 1 month before, so that I will be back at the end of Feb (Start of the new school year). When asking about the completion bonus, she replied by saying that I would not qualify since I would only have worked for 11 months.

Is she trying to get out of paying me for the final month (Feb's pay - I know I' m not gonna get the severance in this case)? After all, she is the one that wants me to take an earlier vacation, right?

Any assistance would be appreciated guys, thanks!

Oh, I work for a private hogwan (Kindergarten). I started working on the 1st of March and my contract expires on the 28th of Feb 2007. During my year I recieved only 1 week paid vacation (no winter vacation even though it is stipulated in the contract). I asked for 1 month instead of 2 weeks. Also, I'm being pimped out to 7 other kindergartens for 1 hour each per week. She overcharges them and they pay as the children all love me.

I love the school and the kids BUT ..... is this right?

[seoulsista]

Yep. Why do you want to work for someone who is treating you with such disrespect. What else is she capable of?

[plokiju]

Sounds like she's trying to get out of giving you the severance. Legally you wouldn't be entitled to severance. Work until you complete the 12 months unless you really don't care about getting the severance. If she really likes having you work there and wants you back she'd agree to one month vacation plus severance plus airfare. Otherwise she's just trying to save herself some money.

If she's reasonable she'd at least be open to negotiation. Technically she'd owe you the airfare anyways after 12 months and it's likely about the same or less than the severance. All she's giving you really is unpaid vacation time in lieu of severance. She might be willing to give you half the severance or something. Ultimately though she doesn't need to give you the vacation but would have to give you severance if you worked 12 months. Depends what you think is more important if you really want to continue working there at least.

If she's reasonable she'd let you start in April and if she's at some hagwon the start of the school year is a flimsy excuse to get you to take an early vacation and screw yourself out of severance. Seems fishy but you know her better than I do.

[Bukowski]

ghetto,

Could you clarify a few things:

1) Are you at a public or private school?
2) When did you actually start (the exact date)?
3) When does your contract expire (again, the exact date)?
4) Are you actually getting additional time off or are you simply just taking your vacation sooner, rather than later?

I can only guess what is happening without the above, but it doesn't sound right at all.

In most public schools, we are given an additional fourteen "calendar" days if we recontract, so when combined with our actual vacation days (i.e. paid "working" days) we get a month of vacation at the end of every contract year. In other words, I work 11 months and have the last month of my contract off, as I always recontract. That being said, it is fully paid and it is rightly considered part of the completion of my 12 month/one year contract.

What your supervisor is telling you sounds bogus, but until you answer the questions it is hard to say.

As for the RT airfare, that is also standard procedure for most public school contracts for teachers that recontract. We are given RT airfare from Korea to our home country and back again to start the new semester.

The fact that you are taking your paid vacation should not preclude you from getting your severance. However, if your employer is giving you an additional two weeks of vacation with pay, instead of severance, it is fair swap if you want to take it (2 weeks additional vacation for two weeks of pay is worth twice as much=one month).

Let us know the details, so we can better help.

AC

[ghetto5]

I work at a private hogwan.
My contract started on March o1 2006.
My contract therefore ends on February 28, 2007.
I want a break before the next contract starts.

[Bukowski]

OK. What I hear you saying is, you aren't actually getting any paid holidays. You simply want to have some unpaid time off before your next contract begins March 1, right?

In that case, you are kissing your severance good-bye. It sounds like your boss likes you, so why not try negotiating a compromise. If your boss has to replace you, it will cost 1.3~1.5 million for the recruiting fee. However, if you have to find another job, how much is your time and hassle worth at the risk of being a different situation that you might not like as much?

Perhaps the price is somewhere in between.

Best of luck. Let us know how it works out.

AC

[seoulsista]

Your boss is taking advantage of a situation for personal financial gain. You are asking for two weeks which is perfectly reasonable. If she wants to own a hagwon that hires foriegn employees and wants to retain competent ones than she cannot possibly expect them to stay in Korea continiously without ever going home to see their families. Cultural sensitivity is a two way street.

For her to suggest that you take a month and not get your severance is outrageous. For another poster to suggest that negotiate partial payment with her is also outrageous.

If it is so important to her that you come back before the beginning of the school year then fine give you the month now with your severance and tack an extra month onto the end of your next contract making it 13 months long. If she is not willing to do that than she is just being underhanded.

[jajdude]

I don't know if it's so bad. If she is paying for the round trip ticket to SA back to Korea (and has also reimbursed you for any previous airfare costs), is that cost near a month's salary?

[Kimchieluver]

[shifty]

Bukowski, how on earth did you imagine that the op worked for anything other than a hokwon??? You're gonna make me not sleep tonight!!

To the OP, the director wants to ensure your definite return by means of withholding the severance.

If you raise hell, it'll cause an air of you being not totally decided, but rather subject to whim.

Tell her you need to go home for at least 6 months, but that you definitely want to return to her in the medium term.

[shifty]

Jajdude you make a good point. Round trip airfare for SA is is excess of 1.8 million won.

[Kimchieluver]

[bombenhagen]