Korean Job Discussion Forums

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

The contract clearly says 10 vacation days per year plus national holidays. We had a 5-day vacation in the summer - school closes down during vacation time - and now the winter vacation is slated for Jan 1 through Jan 5.

Well, obviously, Jan 1 is a national holiday, so the 10 days promised in the contract suddenly becomes 9 - honestly I think he was hoping no one would notice this, and when I brought it up at this morning's weekly staff meeting most of them made some sounds resembling, "Hey, I hadn't thought of that ..."

Boss says he'll look at the contract again but he's pretty sure he's in the right, if the holiday falls during a scheduled vacation time he can count it as both, but I said, "Uh-uh. It's a national holiday or it's a vacation day. Can't be both."

The Kiwi teacher came to me later and said the wongjang claims to having trouble finding copies of our contracts ... aigo. How lame.

I'm figuring he owes us another vacation day somewhere, somehow - am I wrong? I don't think so. What do you think? And what's the best route to get what we want without poisoning the whole office atmosphere?

babtangee · Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 7:47 am Post subject:

Depends on what your contract reads, don't it? You don't have a copy yourself? Aigoo. Best way to get it? Offer to cover the other foreign teacher's classes while he takes his day and vice versa. Personally I'd be demanding overtime pay for taking his classes though (hardly a vacation day if I have to do extra work later for free).

EDIT: That or demand financial compensation in exchange for the vacation day.

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

oxfordstu · Joined: 28 Aug 2004 Location: Bangkok

Yep, this happened to me when I was in hagwon hell. They scheduled vacation time over Sollal - so those 3 national holidays became vacation days as well. Everyone complained about it, but nothing could be done. I think this is common practice for hagwons.

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

bourquetheman · Joined: 18 Aug 2003 Location: Suwon

The main problem though Bob is that there are always two contracts, one in English and one in Korean. In my 9 years here there is always a clause that says the Korean one is the one that is right should there be any discrepancies. At the high school I used to work in I remember finding something wrong about the vacation time (can't remember what) and when I brought it up they compared the same section in the Korean contract and it was different so THAT was the one they chose to follow. Even my wife (who's Korean) checked it over and it was a mistake in the English version. However if you happen to get a copy of the Korean language version of your contract and it is the same as the English version you do have a case.

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

The same thing happened to me at my old hagwon. The 10 vacation days in the contract quckly got whittled down to 5. Had I known that, I wouldn't have signed there.

Boodleheimer · Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 4:48 pm Post subject:

happens at public schools, too.

Bingo · Joined: 22 Jun 2006

Welcome to Dynamic Korea. Very Happy

rothkowitz · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

babtangee · Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 7:05 pm Post subject:

Worst thing is I know when I take my vacations the Korean teachers have to take up the slack. They only get two days off per vacation. This winter one of those days will be New Year's Day. Totally unfair, but I console myself with the argument that it's their fault for accepting their crappy job's pay and benefits (or lack there of).

Bingo · Joined: 22 Jun 2006

I remember after I had signed my GEPIK contract and went to Japan for my visa, the school board insisted that the trip was to be deducted from my vacation time. I almost went ballistic. They quickly backed down.

Korean bosses think that they can add new unfavourable conditions anytime hey wish.

Dynamic Korea.