Korean Job Discussion Forums

dridgway · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Location: Suwon, S. Korea

I work in a public school and I've recently been asked to take a pay cut for the remaining months of my contract. It seems to me that changing the contract 3/4 of the way through like this wouldn't fly, but I can't make any progress negotiating this with the school. Well, the truth is that I HAVE made a little progress, originally they wanted me to pay back the money that they had "over paid" me up to this point.
I'm reluctant to believe that it's coincidental that this comes on the heels of me telling the school that I would not be signing on for another year in September.
Has this ever happened to anyone else? Any advice?

kimchi_pizza · Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 5:21 pm Post subject:

What's up with these red lights and sirens? Warning signs?

Sounds very shady dridgway and this coming from a public school? Need details! What's the percentage of the pay cut? Has there been a cut in classes or students. What's stated in your contract? Stick with the contract so if they're deviating [L-to turn from the road] from it in any way tell'em to piss off.

tob55 · Joined: 29 Apr 2007

It would seem that your school may have a special project and they are looking ways to fund it. The GPOE provides the full amount of money for your budget in the beginning of the contract year, so they received all of the funds up front. It would be quite illegal for them to take the money back from you once the contract is in place, but that is not to say they would not do it or try to do it citing a number of excuses. If you have concerns about this, contact the appropriate person in the GPOE or whatever organization you are affiliated with here in Korea. The school would prefer that you didn't, but that is why the administrative contacts are there for you.

dridgway · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Location: Suwon, S. Korea

I suppose I shoudl have included a few more details with this one...it's a long story but I'll see if I can sum up some important things.

I signed for 2.3/month with the public school system when I got here in September. Recently my school has told me that I am not qualified to make this level of pay .I understand this as I'm not a trained teacher. I just came over on my BA like a lot of people here. The thing is that we did sign a contract for this amount, that they made, and I never lied or mislead them about my qualifications.

I have contacted the appropriate person with the govt. and am currently awaiting a reply...I've been told to espect one in ten business days. LOL

dridgway · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Location: Suwon, S. Korea

Do you think it could be that they're trying to flush me out before they have to pay my severance pay/return flight? I've heard of this happening but never in public schools.

Juregen · Joined: 30 May 2006

They cannot change your payement without your consent.

That is why they are trying to persuade you to take a pay cut.

Depending on your situation you can accept or decline, i would decline.

dridgway · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Location: Suwon, S. Korea

They said I can refuse but then they will put it on my co-teacher...who is really too nice to do that too.

Areut · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Location: Behind You!!!!

xCustomx · Joined: 06 Jan 2006

You got 2.3 without any experience? How did they screw that up? Lucky for you, but I have no idea how this would work out. I think the contract states the qualifications that you must have in order to receive that level of pay, but since they signed off on paying you 2.3 I don't know how they could then drop you down to 2.0 without your permission. Let us know how it works out

Beej · Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Location: Eungam Loop

Paddycakes · Joined: 05 May 2003 Location: Seoul

They'll put in on your co-teacher???

How's that work?

Having done the Korean/EPIK thing, I can say this:

Koreans can be famous for making promises that they later rescind on the grounds that it was a "mistake".

You wouldn't be the first and you won't be the last.

You signed the contract in good faith, and you should hold them to their word.

dridgway · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Location: Suwon, S. Korea

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm just gonna hold my ground here for a while longer and wait for a reply from the govt. people I've contacted. I'll definitely keep this up to date on what's happening.

icicle · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Location: Gyeonggi do Korea

You have signed a contract with that level of pay - so that is what you are entitled to.

I have a contract which pays me at 2.2 million a month, when the normal pay at my level for my province would be 2.1 million.

The only proviso I would put on this would be, as long as you had been upfront at the time of signing the contract about what your qualifications and experience are, so have not misled them in any way ...

They may have made a mistake at the beginning - when the initial contract was signed - but that is not your fault - unless you have misled them in some way.

I will assume from the pay levels that you may be in Gyeonggi but got your job from the school rather than with GEPIK. I think that the school may have been given the new GEPIK contract with a suggestion that they make sure that their contracts are in line with it. The request to sign the new contract came to me about a month ago - so about a month into the contract - the reason was to correct a few things that weren't in line with the standard GEPIK contract. The "pressure" to bring it into line was coming from higher up - not from the people who made the request.

I did negotiate something I could live with - which included keeping the 2.2 salary - that was one of my non-negotiable points.

I knew that I could have simply refused to sign off on any changes - and that legally I was protected - but I chose to sign - because it suited me and my situation. There was however no way I would have signed off on the reduced salary. I had accepted the job on the basis of that salary.

Is it just the salary that they want to change? (Have a good look at the "new contract" and make sure that nothing else has changed that you are not happy with)

Icicle

dridgway · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Location: Suwon, S. Korea

dridgway · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Location: Suwon, S. Korea

Icicle, it sounds like you're right about what brought on the changes. They say it came from higher up (although I'm not really sure how much of what they tell me to believe anymore). I was completely honest with them about my qualifications from day one so I think I'll just stand my ground. It sounds like doing so worked out alright for you so maybe I can hope for the same. Thanks.