Korean Job Discussion Forums

[legalquestions]

If I am sick, my uni requires me to hold a make-up class. Doesn't the Korean labor law allow all workers X number of sick days per year? If so, then I shouldn't have to hold a make-up class, right?

Do Korean's have to go in to work (on the weekend or whenever) to make-up for any day they miss due to illness? If not, then why are we different?

Just curious. Anybody know?

[ttompatz]

[spyro25]

my unigwon is making teachers do just that - even though there are sick days in the contract. even worse they minus those sick days off your vacation time even if you make them up. also if those classes would have been overtime you cant add them to your overtime total. not to mention that right now even national holidays are not added to your total hours meaning that you can lose as much as 6 hours overtime for that day. welcome to the worst uni to work for in korea.

[legalquestions]

ttompatz,

Thanks for the reply, but on what do you base your opinion that we are not granted sick days under the national labor law? Just curious.

I don't know about Korea (thus, my query), but where I come from, labor law generally allows for X number of sick days per year, contrary to whatever the employment contract (here, legally known as a "contract of adhesion,") stipulates.

Back home, national law supercedes (another $5 lawyer word) the terms of the contract.

Anybody have the definitive answer for Korea?

[Unposter]

I have no idea what the law says but my understanding is that the total number of classes is mandated by the Korean government. That is why and not pay that you make up the classes.

You actually get the sick day; you took the day off. It is just that each class is required to be taught x amount of hours.

Now, my guess is you have a lot of leaway in how you make up this class. The most important thing is merely the paperwork and the appearance of propiety.

[ttompatz]

[PRagic]

Offer the make-up class on a Friday at 8:00 p.m. and make it optional. If nobody shows, head on out and enjoy the night.

[Ryst Helmut]

[ajstew]

At the university I am at now, we are told that we are all required to hold classes for 15 weeks, which equals 30 classes because we have two 50 minute classes a week. Apparently, people from the government do check at times to make sure that number is met. Anyway, if every class was held from the beginning of the semester to the end of the semester, there might actually be a total of 32 classes (16 weeks), meaning you could miss a class for a sick day or for whatever reason and not be required to make it up. Holidays, however, can cut into that 32 and bring you down to 30, meaning you have no classes to cancel. If you are sick, and your students have only been taught 29 classes, then a make-up is required. That is how it works at my university (which sticks closely to policy). Many others may not... or even know or care how many classes you teach, so you may be able to do just about anything. I could at a previous universty if I wanted.