Every few years, the Korean government takes a look at the current contract for their NETs – Native English Teachers – and decides whether or not to make any new changes in EPIK, the English Program in Korea. These changes are usually pretty minor or only affect a few different things, but this year they’ve decided to make some pretty major changes in EPIK.
If you’ve applied for EPIK and are arriving in 2019, or are thinking of applying for future intakes and are curious what these major changes are, I’ve got you covered. These changes were actually made due to an update in Korean labor laws for temporary employees. These laws protect workers like us to ensure we receive fair benefits and compensation regardless of our temporary status.
UPDATED January 2019: A good point has been brought to my attention! It’s important to note that within the EPIK program, there are different Offices of Educations per the different regions in the country. Each OE has their own set contracts that have differences from other regions of the country. So while these labor laws affect the entire nation, how your specific office of education (mine is the DMOE for Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education) handles the contract changes could be different.
I believe though that many places will see this same change in vacation at the very least, as that was the main change in labor laws.
The New Changes in EPIK for 2019 and Onward
Annual Leave.
The biggest change in our contract is the number of paid annual leave days we receive – and let me tell ya, this is ultimately a good thing. In the old contract (my current contract), we were entitled to 18 days paid vacation recommended to be taken 8 days in the summer and 10 days in the winter.
With the new labor laws, EPIK teachers are now entitled to a total of 26 days with the recommendation to take 10 in the summer and 16 in the winter holidays. WOW. That’s a big change from the original 18, giving NETs an extra 8 days to use as they wish.
Renewal Bonus Days.
While they’ve generously given NETs in the EPIK program more vacation days, they’ve also taken away the added benefit of an extra five days of vacation to those teachers who decide to renew their contract.
In the old contract, those who resigned for an additional year received five more days of vacation to use within the first six months of the new contract. That is no longer a benefit and everyone receives the above discussed 8 more days regardless of resigning or staying for only one year.
Not the worst thing they could have taken away – you’re still ultimately benefiting from more vacation time in the year.
School Holidays.
Another big change made to the contract, is how school holidays are handled. The principal at each school has the ability to declare a school holiday for special occasions that only your specific school gets off.
Many schools have a holiday for their Foundation Day (the day the school opened) or if the principle is generous and gives a day in conjunction with another holiday. For example, say Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) falls on a Tuesday through Thursday, they can give their teachers that Monday off as well for a longer holiday, even though it’s not nationally mandated.
In the old contract, these school holidays were treated as bonus red days to the Native English Teachers and we got to take them off ‘free of charge’ without using any vacation time.
However, in the new contract, these school holidays are no longer considered freebies. If the school declares a school holiday, NETs must use one of their 26 vacation days to take the day off. You don’t really have a choice in the matter, the school will most likely make you take that day off regardless of what you want since there won’t be anyone else in the school that day.
This also isn’t all that terrible. These school holidays are usually only 1-2 days each year, and usually will give you more time off in a consecutive row as mentioned in the Chuseok example. My own elementary school doesn’t even get the day off for our Foundation Day and I don’t think many schools do.
Things that have not changed in EPIK.
Those are all of the major changes in EPIK. But I thought I’d go through and mention a few of the other major things in the contract to reiterate the other benefits of EPIK and that these benefits have not changed.
Sick Time.
Working for EPIK, teachers get 11 total sick days. We are entitled to 3 sick days without a doctor’s note, but after these three your school may require you to provide a note proving illness.
The contract isn’t very clear about this procedure, so it’s worth noting here. The contract states these 3 days as ‘consecutive’. When reading it one way, it’s easy to misunderstand and think they mean when taking three days of sick time in a row in the same week, a doctor’s note is needed.
In actuality, they mean after your first 3 sick days, they may come to you and ask for a note regardless of if it’s just a one day illness. They should really change the wording and omit that consecutive because it’s confusing.
Korean culture looks down upon using too much sick time, so even when teachers or workers are seriously ill, they still often come in to work anyways. Silly!
Red Days/ National Holidays.
Regardless of the extra vacation days Native English Teachers have been given, the amount of red days or national holidays we’re entitled to has not changed. You still have off for all Korean national holidays.
Korean National Holidays.
January 1st – New Year
3 Days in February – Lunar New Year. Actual dates change every year
May 1 – International Labor Day
1 Day in May – Buddha’s Birthday. Actual date changes every year
June 6 – Memorial Day
June 13 – Local Elections Day
August 15 – Liberation Day
3 Days in September or October – Chuseok/Korean Thanksgiving. Actual dates change every year but usually at the end of September or beginning of October
October 3 – National Foundation Day
October 9 – Hangeul Day
December 25 – Christmas
Pay and Monetary Benefits.
Of all the new changes in EPIK, the pay and monetary benefits have remained the same – hallelujah! You can check out more about the EPIK salary and benefits here.
Do you have any questions or comments about the new changes in EPIK? Share below!
We’ve just been told in JLP that “big changes” are coming for us too. Thanks for this post, which gives us some idea of what to expect. We’ll see what they say!
Ahh wow! I’d imagine they’ll be quite similar – you’ll have to let me know! Are you staying a second year do you think?
It’s important to note that your contract isn’t with EPIK, it is with an office of education. So ultimately how the contracts change and how they are interpreted is up to the supervisors in each area. The labour law has changed with regards to contract workers and annual vacation time, but there still may be some differences as to how the areas fit that into their contracts, for example reducing the principal’s discretion over special days and renewal days.
Thanks Meg!! That is a very excellent point!! I’ve gone ahead and updated to include that bit of important info in the post. What OE are you with? If the changes are different from Daegu I’d loved to hear how your region has changed the contracts!!
Yes, I can confirm now that our contract will be the same as the rest of the country. Same changes you list here. Kind of a bummer because we had it a little better because we already got the same vacation plus renewal days, but hey, it is what it is.
Yeah I’m going to renew for at least one more year! How about you?
Ahh that’s right! You did have some killer vacation time! Better to keep it than make it I suppose haha 🙂 That’s so exciting! Sadly not. I actually leave Korea in less than a month now! Where’s the time gone?!
How would you recommend splitting up the vacation days to have maximum ~value? 🙂
Hi Annie! That’s a tough question because it changes year by year based on how the days fall and your schools camps! I recommend trying to maximize holidays and weekends with your vacation days to see how you can get the longest time off! I liked to try to plan it specifically over days we already had off. Enjoy!
Hi Brit! Your blog really helped me to decide to come to Korea as an English teacher, so I wanted to thank you. I was curious about how you came to decision to renew your contract? What factors did you consider? Did your schedule change much from your first year to your second?
I’m tasked with making that decision now, so I would be happy to hear your thoughts!
Thank you.
Mary
That’s amazing!! I’m happy to hear my words were helpful 😆 There were a few factors for me that made me want to stay a second year. First and foremost, I loved my friend group and they were all staying too! My relationship with my students was very good as well as with my co-teachers. And lastly, the resigning bonus and pension were a good incentive!! I wasn’t quite ready to leave and wanted to see more of Korea and Asia :)) What factors are pulling you in either direction?
Hi Brit! I’m thinking of applying to EPIK for the coming August intake however I have my brother’s wedding at the end of November and was just wanting advice on whether you think I will be able to get time off (one week’s worth) for that.
Let me know what you think
Hi there!! Unfortunately this will completely depend on your school and your principle as giving time off is up to them. I’ve known schools to allow time off for these sort of big family events as well as known a school to throw a fuss for my friend requesting time off for a funeral. I think if you assert you must go home, they’ll probably let you but will either make you take a week of unpaid time or a week of your vacation. There’s no way of knowing for sure though and I’d say there’s also a good chance of them saying no. I’m sorry!! It’s all about luck of the draw with how chill or strict your principle is!
Hey!
I am currently pursuing my graduation in economics and soon taking a TEFL COURSE and I really wish to work as a English teacher in korea But I’m from India. (ALTHOUGH India is a non native English speaking country ,India and Korea does have a CEPA CONTRACT) Could you please tell me if EPIK provides employment to Indians or not?
Hi there!! According to EPIK on their website – “Under the CEPA agreement, Indian citizens are eligible for positions if they meet all other requirements and hold a teacher’s license in English. Please inquiry with the EPIK Office at [email protected] for more details.”
I recommend sending them an email to see if a TEFL certificate is enough unless you also are graduating with a teaching degree in English!!☺️ Good luck! If all else fails, a private school may be a good route to teaching in Korea too!!