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Korean Job Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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sarahbrach
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2003 8:29 pm Post subject: Problem Help! |
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Hey guys........
Ok.. so like most Korean Employers mine really sucks. He has a successful hagwon which i work for and have for 10 months, he has offered me several times to resign.
He runs a recruiter business on the side and hires numerous illegal teachers and sends them around seoul each day. A month ago, he said he was desperate and needed my help and asked me to teach 3 kindergardens a week, so I agreed of course for a fee. (i know i know).
Well, today, i had had it up to my ears , with ignorant children calling me names, poking and hitting me grabbing my breasts etc. Also I am working 7 hours a day at his school with my e 2 visa and im tired. So i walked out. I told him i couldn't handle it anymore and as of today i didn't want to do it anymore. Also i am due to get severence pay in two months and don't want to jepordize it.
So as usual, he flipped out, called me a F^&*ing B*&%$h and blah blah blah and now wants to fire me, no severence pay, nothing..........and this morning job, had nothing to do with my full time job.
WHAT CAN I DO??????????????? |
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humanuspneumos
Joined: 08 Jun 2003
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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2003 8:40 pm Post subject: Live the next two months in the Yellow Zone |
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Live the next two months in the Yellow Zone- that is- if you calmly/politely go back to say- "I'm really sorry I blew-up. It's just that I feel really tired....." Grovel-Grovel After that- you still will never be sure that the coveted "bonus" (actually it drives most teachers crazy thinking about it so it's not really a "bonus") will be yours.
OR
Realize that you're on vacation now and leave.
As for legalities- you likely have 100% chance of losing unless (even here-still likely) your contract stated in strongest of terms otherwise regarding hours..bla, bla, bla
OR
Pamper yourself for a couple of weeks- poke around at looking for jobs offered in other countries- and go get another job in another country.
I'm almost 100 % sure your situation will "work-out" in 1/4 paths outlined here. |
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Morning Calm
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2003 8:50 pm Post subject: Re: Live the next two months in the Yellow Zone |
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humanuspneumos wrote: |
Live the next two months in the Yellow Zone- that is- if you calmly/politely go back to say- "I'm really sorry I blew-up. It's just that I feel really tired....." Grovel-Grovel After that- you still will never be sure that the coveted "bonus" (actually it drives most teachers crazy thinking about it so it's not really a "bonus") will be yours.
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This is actually good advice, but I would add that you need to learn to bring tears.
I'm sorry to hear about your experience. He sounds like a bastard, you mind letting me know what your school name is? Sometimes, I have a way of pushing bad karma his direction after you're long gone. |
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Sucker
Joined: 11 Feb 2003
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Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2003 12:06 am Post subject: |
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My boss turned on me when I had six weeks to go on my contract.
Based on what happened to me, I can only say this :
1 - If he sets his mind to it you will not get any severance pay.
2 - He will probably say that you owe him a fair amount of money - recruiter fees (even though he is a recruiter), unpaid bills, etc. Just blankly refuse to pay them; there is nothing that he can do (at least I think so).
3 - Make sure you go to immigration REPEADADLY. They are the most inconsistent useless bunch of (insert swear word here) on the planet. At first they will tell you that you are fine and not to worry about your visa. And then they will turn on you and order you out of the country or (as happened to me) you will go into immigration one day to find out that your visa has been cancelled, you have been declared a "missing person" and that you are now facing a rather massive fine.
Don't want to scare you, but either make up with your boss or get down to immigration. |
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kangnamdragon
Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea
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Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2003 4:18 am Post subject: |
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Why can't you threaten to tell immigration about his illegal business. He has to give you 60 days notice to fire you anyway, so he cannot legally fire you before you get your severence. (correct me if I am wrong. I'm sure somebody will). |
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Ryst Helmut
Joined: 26 Apr 2003 Location: In search of the elusive signature...
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 6:12 pm Post subject: Fire with fire |
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Sarah,
First off, I'd say that you need to decide which is most important...staying through the crap for another two months or cutting all loses.
I suppose you could grovel, might be preferable, as while still working, you can make plans for employment elsewhere.
He still wants to fire you? Well, 'fight fire with fire.'
Get all the information about the illegal teachers (oooh, I'll be flamed for this) and go to immigration with it. If you decide to call him on it, he may have those teachers not come into work for X days, in order to cover arse.
I'd ask for one week (if he's insistant on firing you) so that you could get tickets and what-not in order...THEN get ALL of your students' addresses/phone numbers (parents' names) and have a Korean you trust write a scathing (not all statements need be 'facts.') letter and deliver to parents. Make sure letter would make the patrons second guess this hakwon's ability to educate their child(ren).
Dunno, I'd do my bit to keep my job if my intentions were to stay for another year in Korea (at another scool, of course)...however, if you do leave...BURN them bridges and him at the stake.
Shoosh,
Ryst |
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em
Joined: 15 Feb 2003
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 7:39 pm Post subject: |
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Sarah,
I'm not in Korea yet, I just signed a contract and am headed over in a week or two. Although that may not seem like a valid position in which to comment, I think things might look a little different from where I stand.
I've just finished the job hunt and had tonnes of offers from Korea and Japan in the course of a few weeks. If you bolted from the job you are in right now you could be working somewhere else in a matter of weeks. It seems like you have nothing to lose. You are in everybody else's worst case scenario right now - you are being treated badly and will likely be ripped off - seriously, this guy does not sound like he would pay you your bonus. By taking another job in a high-paying Asian country like Japan you would not only cut your losses but likely recoup the amount of your bonus within a few months. And, most importantly, you would be in a more agreeable situation.
Quitting a crappy job - ESL or otherwise - always looks scarier from the inside. And generally it looks scarier than it actually should. Also - remember home? Would you ever have put up with that kind of abuse from an employer at home? I know things are different over there but it's up to you to decide how different they are allowed to get before you've had enough.
Pardon me if I've breached etiquette by commenting on a situation from which I am so far removed. I don't mean to be presumptuous. There are obviously lots of things that I just don't understand. However, from what I've read here on the forum, it seems like it might be easy to lose perspective and end up putting up with too much in the ESL game.
Cheers. |
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Gord
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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Sucker wrote: |
3 - Make sure you go to immigration REPEADADLY. |
"Dear Immigration. I was working illegally at a second location now by boss wants to fire me. What? Pay a fine and get on a plane? Damn it!"
Perhaps Immigration isn't the wisest of choices to request help from, especially since they have very little to do with hirings and firings, but rather that a person is working where they are suppose to be working.
Now the labour board, that's the ticket. Though I forget the name of it in Korea, but there are enough threads that point to the offices in this forum it should be easy to find.
That said, it would be best to avoid involving outside parties as there is a good chance there will be no winners. Resolve, discuss, or walk away. Losing a severance you haven't earned yet is better than losing a severance AND paying a fine AND being prohibited for working again in Korea for two years.
Never start a fight unless you know you will win. |
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humanuspneumos
Joined: 08 Jun 2003
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Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2003 12:23 am Post subject: I like the part about the illegal teacher list |
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I like the part about the illegal teacher list- only show it to the owner.
Even if this guy sunk low or you don't like some of the teachers- there's no point in draggin others into your war. |
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