Koreans (East Asians in general) view employment contracts differently than Western countries. It’s fare to say, some teachers in Korea have faced contract disputes with their Korean employer in one form or another. Generally speaking, most disputes are minor and are resolved in a timely manner which is acceptable to the employer and the western employee.
An official start and end date should be clearly stated. Training periods which are not part of the employment period should clarified.
The salary should be written in the contract on a per month basis. Example: “ABC Language School will provide John Doe with 2.2 million KRW per month”. Most contracts will also state which day of the month the teacher will receive their salary.
The contract should stipulate what type of housing you’re going to receive; single accommodations, shared accommodations, 1 bedroom, studio style, etc. If you’re getting a monthly housing allowance, the contract needs to declare how much.
This section should include the total number of weekly or monthly working hours(in-class teaching hours). Note: It’s hard for schools to offer daily work schedules in advance because student enrollment rates tend to change throughout the year.
The contract should declare that you’ll receive severance at the end of your contract term. The severance amount, usually equal to 1 months salary, should also be included.
Who pays for your flight to Korea needs to be clarified within the contract. Some schools offer prepaid flights but most provide an airfare reimbursement or entrance allowance.
It’s possible, even probable, that you’ll be asked to work overtime at some point. The contract agreement should articulate how overtime hours are calculated and how compensation for these additional hours is determined.
Although Korean schools are not technically obligated to provide teachers with the National Pension Scheme, many employers offer this benefit. If your school makes pension contributions, it’s important to have the benefit stipulated within the agreement.
Korean labor law requires schools to cover 50% of the teachers monthly medical insurance premium; the remaining 50% is covered by the teacher. Most employers will automatically deduct the teachers portion from their monthly salary.
You can expect a few deductions from your salary each month. Income tax (3.3%) will be deducted automatically – the exact amount will depend on your salary. The teachers portion of the medical insurance premium will also be deducted (roughly 2.5%). Finally, if your school is making pension contributions, you’ll be required to match it at a rate of 4.5% of your total salary. American and Canadian teachers can apply for a pension refund at the end of their contracted term.
Schools usually indicate how much preparation time they require from their teachers. ‘Prep-time’ includes lesson planning, making photocopies, organizing teaching materials, discussions with the Korean homeroom teachers, etc.
Some employers offer paid sick days. Teachers are typically required to give the their school proper notice in addition to providing a doctor’s note upon returning to work. Most schools will provide 2-3 paid sick days per year.
Most job contracts will clearly state what types of behavior are legitimate causes for contract termination. Such stipulations may include; showing up drunk or under the influence of drugs, swearing at children, breaking Korean law, not teaching the schools curriculum, other.
Lots of Korean employers request a housing deposit from their foreign teaching staff. The deposit is used to pay for any damages and/or outstanding bills. Deposits are refunded in full, provided all utility bills are paid and there is no major damage to the accommodations.
How much training or orientation time a new teacher can expect before engaging in the job full time on their own will vary from school to school. If a teacher has previous ESL experience, that may reflect in the amount of training required. If the school is going to provide the teacher with a reduced salary during this training period, it should be clearly stated in the contract.
Dress codes will vary from school to school; some have strict dress codes, others have semi-casual dress codes. Schools with strict dress codes usually address this requirement in the contract. Either way, it’s important to understand the dress code before you depart (so you know how to pack).
Teacher duties and responsibilities that take place outside of the classroom are usually placed in the contract. Additional duties and responsibilities may include; attending teacher meetings, going to job related seminars or workshops, supervising the children during specific break times throughout the day, etc.
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Gone2Korea is your connection to full-time teaching jobs in South Korea. Western graduates, primarily from the US, Canada, UK, and Australia, use our services to secure jobs with trusted Korean schools, and schools use our services to find and hire enthusiastic teachers from the West.
Worth noting: We’re not a job ‘sourcing’ agency or recruiter that finds new schools on the fly. On the contrary, we work with a select group of schools and programs that we know and trust.
In addition to helping you land a job, we’ll also be helping you with your work visa, departure, arrival, and offering support for the entirety of your contracted term.
Prior teaching experience and related degrees are NOT prerequisites for teaching in Korea. Here’s what you’ll need in order to qualify.
Korean schools and programs offer western English teachers highly competitive benefits packages which includes:
