Teachers who wish to terminate their contract for any reason must give at least 30 days notice in writing to the school. This is so the school has time to find and bring in a replacement teacher. The employer will be required to pay the employees salary up to and including the date of termination but will not be required to supply the teacher with a plane ticket to their point of origin nor pay any contract completion bonus. Furthermore, if the teacher cancels the contract before the half-way point of their contract term, the school may also demand that the teacher reimburse them for the cost of the initial flight to Korea.
Teachers who will seek further employment in Korea after premature termination of their contract must be sure to get a Letter of Release from their employer and present it to Korean Immigration so that their current work visa can be properly cancelled. A letter of release is simply a letter written by the school director stating that the teacher is being released from his or her contract for whatever reason. The letter must be in Korean (English optional), must have the school name and the name of the teacher, must have the reason for termination, must be dated and must bear the “ddojang” or official seal of the school. Teachers will not be able to acquire a new working visa until the old one is properly cancelled or expires. Schools are not legally required to supply a Letter of Release, so teachers should try to remain on good terms with their boss, regardless of the circumstances. If teachers have problems obtaining a release letter from an upset employer, contact PlanetESL and we will do our best to help.
Teachers have 14 days from the date of termination to leave the country, unless they go down to Immigration and get their visa extended. Teachers may re-enter Korea on a tourist visa to look for another job, but may not work during that time.