Early Contract Release: EPIK

Hi everyone! I am a current EPIK teacher and am looking to start a new job at an International School.  They are willing to work with me a little bit on my start date, but I would need to end my contract with my current school about 4 weeks early.

Can anyone provide me with some input about this? I would like to go to my school with some knowledge of how to proceed.

Check your contract, I believe you need to give 60-day notice (but may vary). Also, your current school is under no obligation to give you a letter of release, assuming you are on E2 visa. If that is the case you will not be able to start your new contract until your current contract ends. Also by leaving early, you are forfeiting any contract completion bonuses and if you have been employed less than one year your severance also becomes void.

I would also be mindful of how many sick days and vacation days you have taken over the duration of your employment, due to finishing your contract early you will not be entitled to the full quota and could find yourself in a position of having to pay excess days taken, back to your employer.

It may vary by MOE/POE but the Incheon office made it very clear that they do not provide a letter of release as a policy when I asked about it a couple of years ago. If you have an F visa they can't stop you from quitting whenever you want.

     Yeah, MOEs and POEs will *not* give letters of release, unfortunately, even if the actual school one works at is very understanding.

     I know several people who left a contract a few weeks early to work at another, more favourable position.
     They had their new place of employment post-date the start of the contract a month or so, and essentially stayed on their old visa and worked for under-the-table money until it expired and they renewed it with their new employer.

Such a shame that they got away with it!