Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jadarite]

Some of these contracts have a condition where they will take out 300,000 won for the first three months in case you do something bad, like a security deposit. Do we ever see that 900.000 won again? Has anyone worked at a school with this condition and be given it? If so, when can you expect it?

[laogaiguk]

The way I look at it is if a school is doing this, they are scared of you running. There is usually a good reason they are scared, as they have probably had others run. It could mean nothing, but I wouldn't go with any school that forced a thousand dollar deposit they can keep from me. It's bad enough they can fool around with your severance and final pay, let alone that. Tell them they have the severance if they need something.

I would not work for that school unless the term were very, very good. Remember, there is a shortage of teachers, you can bargain.

[deadman]

[cruisemonkey]

... and who's getting the interest?

Bend over and pick up the soap.

[icicle]

It is a standard clause in a GEPIK contract ... I had it in my contract last year and had no trouble at all getting it back on my last day ... I would not be afraid of it in a public school contract ... but I would probably be more hesitant in a hagwon contract ... I did find it a pain at the time but I think the way I coped with it then was that it was compulsory saving and an extra amount that I got back when I left ... I did end up leaving early for family reasons at the time ... giving slightly more than required notice and this presented no problems at all.

[ttompatz]

[yeremy]

I worked for three years at the same (GEPIK) school, but I didn't pay the housing deposit. When the matter came up, I pointed out that my (Korean) wife was in charge of paying the bills, and that satisfied my school. I was never bothered again about it. And when I worked at a hagwon, I was never asked to pay a housing deposit, but of course, the hagwon , rather aggressively, deducted my final month's utilities bills out of my last month's salary before they deposited it into my account. I live in a new city today, in a new apartment that my wife and I leased by ourselves. No one has said anything about having to pay a housing allowance. Knock on wood.

[Seoul_Star]

My question is; does that even actually deter people from running? My school has some BS clause about "We'll take 10 days pay out of your first paycheck and hold that as a deposit in case you run from the school", they didn't even have to pay my plane ticket, visa run, or housing.

Seriously, who would put up with a horrible job for a year, just to see a lousy $900 again? Do hagwon owners think that teachers are completely incapable of managing or saving any money? I try to think of situations back in fully developed countries where an employer could just withhold money from your paycheck in order to scare you from quitting, but none come to mind. Furthermore, I fail to understand why someone would put up with BS just to see their little $900 "deposit" returned. Are that many teachers really living from hand to mouth?

When I see contracts with clauses like that, it just screams "lots of teachers run from here, we have to think of something to deter it!!" If the work conditions were satisfactory, people probably wouldn't run. But then again, the vast majority of hagwon owners I have encountered know almost nothing about business, English, personal relations or keeping their employees happy.

[moosehead]

I interviewed with a school that had that clause and turned it down -

why?

because I ALREADY HAD MY HOUSING AND THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE IT OUT ANYWAY!!!!

korea SPUTTERING !!!

[jadarite]

There is another term in the contract that has me a bit puzzled.

"If Employee completes the Term of Employment without the intention to renew and leaves Korea within 10 days from the expiration date, Employer shall pay the airfare within the limit of 75% of the normal Korean Air economy class for Employee's one way return flight."

Dicipher at will.

[Ut videam]

[jadarite]

"they'll fly you out"

Then it would be 100%, who pays the other 25%? Yes, I know the answer, but why don't they just take 10 days or whatever out of your salary? Why is there this mixing of airfare expenses with early leave which is a salary expense?

[Ut videam]

Where are you getting this stuff about taking 10 days out?

It says that they'll pay for your airfare if you leave Korea within ten days after finishing your contract. It has nothing to do with breaking the contract early. It means that if you stay in Korea, they don't pay you for the airfare. You have to leave in order to get a paid flight.

Also, the 75% is just an upper limit on what they'll pay for your ticket. A standard Korean Air economy class fare (not a discounted or promotional fare) is pretty high. So unless you're leaving during a peak travel period, the actual fare will be much less than this. Hence, they'll pay 100%. It's only if you book a really expensive ticket that this limit would apply.

[jadarite]

I don't quite buy that. Take August for example. Tickets are more expensive then. Standard Korean Air economy fare for August would be more than the Standard Korean Air economy fare for June (assuming you booked the flight at a reasonable time before, not the night before).

The standard doesn't have to be consistent month to month.

"It has nothing to do with breaking the contract early."

Yes, it does have to do with breaking the contract. If you initiate the leave before your 1 year contract is up, guess what? That's breaking the contract.

[Ut videam]