Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Rios]

I work in a public middle school and I was just informed today by my head English Teacher that according to the Provincial Board of Education, I have to change my travel plans.

Here is the story�
Summer vacation at my school begins on July 20 � August 24th. I was informed (in early May) by my head English teacher that I would be teaching a summer camp from July 23rd � August 3rd.

I then informed my head English teacher (in early May) that I would plan my vacation dates for after the summer camp. My head English teacher then told me not to make any vacation plans just yet because she was not sure if the Provincial Board of Education had any additional plans for me to teach any additional summer camps aside from the initial camp (July 23rd � August 3rd).

In early June, I decided to simply tell my head English teacher that since the Provincial Board of Education does not have any plans for me to teach any additional summer camps (aside from the July 23rd � August 3rd camp) that I am planning my vacation for the following dates, August 13th - August 22nd and to please inform the Provincial Board of Education of my vacation plans.

Well today, my head English teacher informed me that I have to change or cancel my travel plans because the Provincial Board of Education is scheduling for me to teach 2 MORE summer camps (aside from the July 23rd � August 3rd camp) from August 6 � August 17.

When I asked my head English teacher about my vacation, she did not know what to say. Let me remind you that I have been communicating my vacation plans with her and the Provincial Board of Education since early May!

So that means I have to take my vacation from August 20 � 23 because the Provincial Board of Education has me scheduled to teach summer camps from July 23rd � August 17th and because I have to be back at school on August 24th.

I have to state that I am not happy with the Provincial Board of Education, EPIK and my overall treatment from these individuals. I have always come to work on time, I teach overtime classes even when I don�t want to, I even taught those sneaky classes the Provincial Board of Education had me teach from 4:00pm � 6:00pm twice a week for 7 weeks for NO additional pay but that�s a whole different story!!!

So my question to you is should I simply tell the Provincial Board of Education to F@$$ O$$ and that I am not changing my travel plans or how would you handle this problem???

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

-Rios

[jvalmer]

Which province you work for? I suggest booking a ticket August 4ish and coming back the week of August 27ish. Just get back a couple of days before the end of the month. Stick to your guns and keep your reciept and stuff to get your refund. Be stern yet diplomatic. Maybe say that you haven't seen your family in a year and this is the only time that they have given you and you are going to make the time worth it. Also, they shouldn't be planning any work in the 2nd and 3rd weeks of August. All teachers get that time off, so I'm told.

However, if you work in Gyeonggi, Seoul or Incheon, then you might have to use a different tactic.

[yingwenlaoshi]

How does it work with them? Is it in your contract that you have to keep these dates open and that they can spring it on you whenever they feel fit?

Seems kind of disorganized. There should be something in your contract which states that you should have your vacation plans in a certain amount of time beforehand. I don't understand these camps and how it applies to your regular job at the school. What does it say in your contract?

Seems too much like an open ended thing. Where are the standards? Maybe the contract is in their favor by stating that you'll be working camps at undertermined dates and times. In such a case, you might be up *beep* creek.

Do you get extra money for these camps? Seems to me that you could just follow the contract and sit at school during your contractual time from 8 to 5 or whatever it is and tell them to go take a flying leap if they want you to go outside the school to teach. Are these camps at the school?

I'm sorry, but I find these type of teaching positions rather weird.

[mehamrick]

I am sort of fighting the same battle with them... where are these camps going to be held? Is the location on your arc? if not its illegal.. when is your contract up winter or summer?

I dont know what changes are coming in the next 5 days if any with the new changeover and all.. but EPIK is shooting itself in the ass for screwing over people... I am only in changwon and they are having a really hard time filling positions here..

[yingwenlaoshi]

These camps. Is someone raking in money for them? They seem strange to me. I really hate how teachers are exploited. You've got your contract. Fine. But these extra gigs seem to be paying out rather rather strangely in a lot of cases. You do a head count and take a stab at what each student is paying. You're the sole worker. Yeah, someone planned it and is providing the place to teach. But really. Teachers are getting raped big time.

So are you supposed to get paid for these camps?

Like the previous poster said, if you don't want to teach it then don't. They have your vacation schedule. You're not a ping pong ball. If they don't like it, who cares? It's just a teaching job in Korea. Not like anyone gives a rat's arse about you, evidently.

[yingwenlaoshi]

[oxfordstu]

^ exactly. If the camp is not held at your school (which is your address on your ARC) then it is illegal. And they're tellling you that you have to take your vacation from August 20-24? They are truly taking the piss. Tell them to fk off. You're not a prostitute.

[mrsquirrel]

I thought if you worked for the local education ministry that you could work wherever they said.

The address on my ARC card is my apartment. My room isn't big enough for 40 students so I teach at school.

I would stick to your travel plans. You are entitled to your days off. If they aren't going to give them to you then I would be demanding a month and a half salary to cover for this and extra days holidays tagged onto the next year.

So far no requests have come into me yet. I turned down one training camp because I had made plans for the week it was on. Nobody really cared. Not sure if that is a good or a bad thing.

[butlerian]

You just need to show some backbone - no point allowing yourself to be walked all over. If you're being reasonable, stick to your guns. It's not like there's a shortage of jobs for us in Korea or many other countries for that matter.

[khyber]

I thought that your place of work for the EPIK program is the district office in which you work. On my visa, it doesn't say which school I'm working at but that I'm working for the district office (I don't remember giving immi any information as to which school I'm teaching at though).

As for summer camps:
1) It's a national rule (perhaps someone could clarify) that school boards can't make a profit on camps. So if there is a camp at your school and you are working it, you SHOULD be getting ANY money that the students pay to attend the camp.

2) It seems like your POE totally disregarded the fact that you are entitled to even ONE week.

3) As suggested (and though it would make your relationship less sweet) I'd just stick with your old travel plans. If NTs make a concerted effort to communicate with the POEs, the POEs should appreciate that: NTs shouldn't have to wait around. Why not at least give them a "We will tell you by" date?

4) If you do stick with your old vacation plans. Tell them that during the winter session, you will be availible for camps throughout the holiday. That may take some of the sting away.

[ilovebdt]

So, if I am reading this right you are going to get 3 days vacation when in your contract, which I believe is similar to my GEPIK one, you should get at least 7 days.

Defintely call them on this.

ilovebdt

[Rios]

After talking to my head English teacher and going back and forth with the Provincial Board of Education I will finally be getting my 7 day holiday in August.

I still have to work summer camps, but I am definitely glad the Provincial Board of Education came to some sort of understanding.

One thing about working summer or winter camps is that I don�t get paid for them.

I currently work in the Gyeongsangbuk-do province and I believe I have a standard EPIK contract that states I don�t receive any additional money for working summer or winter camps. In addition, since I work for the Gyeongsangbuk-do province, I can be required to work at different schools and work locations.

For example, my head English teacher informed me today that I would be working a 1-week summer camp in August at a university. What sucks about this is that I have to STAY overnight at the university, which I simply don�t want to do.

Anyways, I will be done with my work contract in mid October and I am definitely looking forward to that day.

-Rios

[yingwenlaoshi]

[kat2]

If they are making you stay overnight, they better be paying you heaps of overtime for that. I"m not EPIK, buy my contract clearly states my working hours are from 8:40-4:40. I do'nt pull that out everytime there is a faculty dinner, of course, but requiring me to sleep over somewhere crosses the line. Unless they want to pay me at least an extra million. I've heard rumors that thye are planning this for the teachers in my program, but I'm not crossing that bridge until I have to.

[timhorton]

I don't have any sympathy for you because....first of be thank-ful that you even get vacation during August. I know some other EPIK teachers with public schools that have to do camps 'ALL' August. But I am with you on the short notice part of your post.