Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ghost]

I quite like working in Korea, but one sore point is the lack of vacations.

In Taiwan (2005-2006), I worked in a Private High School, and the vacation allowance was 2 months in summer (all of July and August), and 3 weeks in winter during Chinese New Year. That was a total of almost 3 months holiday.

Here in Korea I work for an Institution which trains teachers, and the vacation allowance is a mere 35 working days per year...which is much less than Taiwan.

Also, I am told that many teachers here get much less vacation time than I do (which I consider to be pretty low).

Working in Korea is good, but the lack of vacations and having to work through July and August (the 'hot and sticky' summer months) is definetely one less agreeable aspect of the contracts here.

In Taiwan, if you have the chance to work at a University you get about 4-5 months paid vacation per year.

The lack of vacation time is a factor for many teachers, especially those who have family and loved ones at home, thousands of miles away.



Ghost in Korea

[RACETRAITOR]

Wow, I'd kill for 35 vacation days per year.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

It's because Koreans don't get much vacation time themselves. We have winter and summer 'break', but for most of it the students come in for extra lessons. Koreans think a three day holiday somewhere like Jinju is a big annual trip and a one-week holiday abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Why would they assume that for people from other countries having decent amounts of time off is important?

[IncognitoHFX]

35 vacation days is bad? What?

I'm not in Korea yet but that does not sound bad at all. That's seven straight weeks if you were to take them all at once.

At my most recent job, we only had two weeks of vacation time per year, and it was a year-round job.

Sheesh.

[Atavistic]

Ghost, quit bragging about your 35 days. You come off like an ass.

[ghost]

[ajgeddes]

[Atavistic]

[Brady]

At my hagwon we have 3 contracted vacation days and we're encouraged not to use them.

[Whistleblower]

I remember from one source that employment law is to be updated in 2008, as all employees must have atleast 15 working days vacation entitlement per year. That equates to three weeks per year (5 days is a working week).

So those of you that are to renew your contract, please check to see if this is taken into account when you negotiate with your employer.

However, I just remember reading somewhere about 15 days holiday per year from another website. Can anyone verify this?

[hellofaniceguy]

Why are vacations so short? One simple reason: because of the teachers signing the contract. Period. Schools will say...that's the way it always has been, etc...
if teachers stop signing bad contracts...things will get better. No teachers...schools have no choice then. But...getting FT's banding together will never happen in korea.

[MissSeoul]

[4 months left]

Even though legally they are supposed to have 10 or the proposed 15 days, most wokers are lucky to get 3 or 4 days a year. If their boss says no they may not get any vacation at all. A lot of Koreans say they wouldn't know what to do with a 9 day vacation - 2 weekends and 5 working days - vacation.

The average teacher here gets 10 days so you have 3.5 times the average teacher, consider yourself very lucky.

[ghost]

[Yu_Bum_suk]