Pregnancy in Korea

[mbali.rose]

Hi everyone!

I know this subject has been discussed here before but i have a question. I have been teaching at this public school for almost 5 months and recently I found out that im 6weeks pregnant. I know being single and pregnant in this country is a taboo. And the school can actually terminate my contract because of this. But it was nothing I planned really, but it has happened so i have to deal with it.

And my question is that should I tell the school or should I wait a few months and then resign before my belly gets big, just to save some money before I head back to SA where im jobless? Confused and really stressed

Please advice. Thank you

[DejaVu]

I know in my contract there is paid maternity leave.  If you are in the public schools, I think it would be a good idea to get this.  Obviously, keeping this secret from your employer's might hurt you as well (though you could say you were ashamed or afraid or whatever).  And, I'm just telling you what you already know.

Anyways, I wish you luck on whatever you choose!

[mbali.rose]

I know in my contract there is paid maternity leave.  If you are in the public schools, I think it would be a good idea to get this.  Obviously, keeping this secret from your employer's might hurt you as well (though you could say you were ashamed or afraid or whatever).  And, I'm just telling you what you already know.

Anyways, I wish you luck on whatever you choose!

Yes, its in my contract but they always find a way to let you go. They will probably say the students and parents are complaining or something. I have never heard of someone who got pregnant and got to finish her contract

[FMNY]

Do you want to stay and have your baby in Korea? If you do I think that it is doable. There are single parents here  or you could go as long as your contract takes you and go home. I mean you know how Korean culture views unwed pregnancy I guess it just depends on how much you care how much they care. But also your a foreigner so they are/might not really care that much. But talk to teachers in your school I don't mean tell them all your business but just ask questions and see how they react.

[Jozigirl]

I know in my contract there is paid maternity leave.  If you are in the public schools, I think it would be a good idea to get this.  Obviously, keeping this secret from your employer's might hurt you as well (though you could say you were ashamed or afraid or whatever).  And, I'm just telling you what you already know.

Anyways, I wish you luck on whatever you choose!

Yes, its in my contract but they always find a way to let you go. They will probably say the students and parents are complaining or something. I have never heard of someone who got pregnant and got to finish her contract

I have never heard of anyone that got pregnant and didn't finish their contract.

Are you PS or hagwon?

What exactly is it you want out of this situation? If you want to stay in your job till the end of the contract, you absolutely can and should. It's illegal to fire someone for getting pregnant. Even as a foreigner, you still have rights.

If it were me (highly unlikely, due to my lack of a womb) I wouldn't say anything unless they asked. Your contract will be over way before you give birth (if I've done my sums right). There is a high likelihood they won't care. If they do and try to fire you, you will have an ironclad case at the labor board.

Good luck.

One of my friends (with EPIK) was let go when her main school heard she was pregnant - the other school was ecstatic for her.  She was married and had been in Korea for several years.  It does happen.

OP, you can register for a pregnancy allowance.  You have to get a card from the Dr saying you're pregnant but I can't remember where you take it to.  You get an allowance of 400 000 won pm if I'm not mistaken - even as a foreigner.  I would hold off telling the school about the pregnancy.   Yes, in our contract, we have maternity leave specified but since you're only 6 weeks pregnant you wouldn't need this leave until the end of your contract so it shouldn't be a problem. However, you might find it a problem flying home at the end of your contract because you'll be in your final trimester when it's dangerous to fly so that might be something to consider too.  Personally, I would just start wearing loose fitting clothing and let everyone assume I was simply getting fat 

One of the foreign teachers at my school is pregnant at the moment and is not married.  She told her main teacher and kept it quiet until it became obvious that she's pregnant.  No one seems to have a problem with it though and, as far as I know, everyone's really happy for her.  However, she's been at the same school for 3 years now so that might also have made the difference.  It depends on your relationship with your school, I guess.

[naturegirl321]

You can get fired for being pregnant.  I called the English labour board and the Korean one, as long as they give you 30 days and pay you, they can fire you.  If it's less than 30 days, you can ask them to pay you.  Besides let's say you decide to fight it.  Who do you think is going to win?  A teacher with limited money and connections or their employer with unlimited money and connectsion, PLUS, what are you going to do if they drag the courtcase out and your visa expires?  It's not worth the time and effort that you would spend fighting it.

Airlines have cut offs between 24 and 34 weeks, I was recently denied boarding, so check before you go. 

I'm on another forum espeically for peopel with kids in Korea and I can tell you that there are plenty of them who have been fired, forced to quit, or not renewed because they were pregnant.  Other people have had to pay their replacement teachers.  I'm lucky, my uni is paying, but I still don't kow if I'm getting renewed.

I'd tell them at 3 months.  I didn't show until 5, now at 8 it's pretty obvious.  I'd want them to find out from me rather than through the grapevine.  I was scared, but they've taken it well.

There aren't that many single moms in Korea, at least foreign ones, most leave.  One of my friends is coming back, but we'll see if it works.  In addition to the regular single mom stuff, you have to deal with living in a foreign country, I might be a single mom for a year or two, but I'll have income from other sources and don't really work much.

Just have a backup plan, or two, just in case.

[naturegirl321]

I'm not too sure.  I told them, what happens if I get fired if I'm pregnant.  And they asked, did they give you 30 days?  I said it hadn't happened.  They said, if they gave you 30 days and paid you, there's nothing we can do.  If they give you less than 30 days or haven't paid you, they'd help me.

[danieljoonlee]

Best thing to do is check your contract and talk to them about it

[naturegirl321]

Contracts aren't worth that much

[Jozigirl]

Even using your contract, foreigners don't receive the same maternity benefits as Koreans.  Korean women, if I'm not mistaken, can take six months maternity leave.  Although we are eligible for 4 months maternity leave (as stated in the EPIK contract), half of it is unpaid.  Considering that that's a third of our annual contract, I can kind of understand why schools would be more inclined to let a teacher go if she were pregnant. 

Rusty: It's not a law that you will be fired if you fall pregnant; it is however, a strong possibility that this will happen.  It happens in other Asian countries too and even some Korean women have been let go when they've fallen pregnant.   

[gyeongju1]

My friend got pregnant in Japan while teaching and didn't have any issues with her employer. I say discuss it with them and hope theyre understanding.

[madison79]

My friend got pregnant in Japan while teaching and didn't have any issues with her employer. I say discuss it with them and hope theyre understanding.

Not a good idea.  Japan might be a little more understanding and open about sex than Koreans.  Unwed mothers could be looked down upon but that depends on where you live.  Wish you the best OP.

[dreamscometrue]

Don't be stressed out. It's not ok for your baby and you. I think that talking to your co-teacher is the best way. They may help you, I'm sure. Keep your chin up!

[pak yu man]

You shouldn't be telling anyone you are pregnant (including important people) untill you are past your first trimester.  I hate to put a negative spin on a positive thread (congrats..parenthood is awesome), but are you aware how common miscarriages are?  My wife and I learned the hard way when we told everyone she was pregnant and then lost it 2 weeks later.

MAke sure you get some sort of teacher review done (written) right before you tell them.  It's really illegal (but common) to can awomen who are pregnant (then the government wonders why there is a negative population growth).

As for the card (I think it's 300,000 but can be more if you live in a rural area), you can take that to any place you pay your utility bills.  (my wife went to the post office)

Good luck and don't take any shit from them.  If they get rid of you fight it tooth and nail (the government has put harsh penalities in place for this sort of thing).

[cansom]

Hi,
Ironically I am experiencing the very same thing! Over the weekend I took two at-home pregnancy tests both coming back with 2 lines (so I am assuming that is positive) and it was a big surprise. My fiance came to visit me from abroad this summer and well, as much as I used to say I wanted to have a baby, this was not in my near future plans.
Like you, I am now 7 weeks and I arrived in Korea in April so I have been here with EPIK for 5 months. That means I am due like a week after my contract finishes. Obviously this was not great timing, but like you, it happened and now I have to make the best out of it.
I haven't told anyone in Korea yet (including my close friends) and  am not planning to until I am past the 6 month mark on my contract and thus also past my 1st trimester.
I don't know what to do?! Did you go to the doctor? I haven't and am worried that if I do go, somehow my school will find out and fire me before my 6 months resulting in me having to pay back the airfare allowance plus me being jobless. That is why I plan to wait to go to the doctor...
Ideally, it would be amazing if I could leave Korea at the end of Feb. just before the new semester but still get maternity leave until the end of my contract so I could receive the benefits of "finishing" my contract. Does anyone have any experience with this? I do understand this is highly unlikely but wishful thinking! If not, and I could stay until the end of Feb. that would also be ideal. I even wonder about staying another year with the school if they will let me.... I have a good relationship with my school but I am worried about getting fired for being pregnant and not officially married.
Any advice and support would be appreciated!! Thank you

[salabbe]

Hey,

I'm not really sure about your situation as of today...however, I am unmarried and 7 months pregnant. I got pregnant at the beginning of my 2nd year with my school, and told them after my first trimester. I was VERY hesitant to tell them. I spoke with some of my co-teachers and they suggested that I lie to everyone that my boyfriend and I got married...I didn't. The students are a bit shocked, but we are here to teach both the language, but more importantly the culture. We need to broaden their views of the world. Cultural absolutism isn't a HUGE problem here, but it definitely still exists. As it turns out, my fears were completely unfounded and EVERYONE has been and continues to be SUPER supportive and really excited for me. My middle school girls line up to touch my belly.

The bottom line: just to be safe, tell after the 6 month marker and after the 1st trimester. Go to the doctor. I think the school just finds out the hospitals name at the very end of the year.

Best of luck to you, and message if you need anything! (Though, I am no expert).