Korean Job Discussion Forums

ehsann24 · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Location: Korea

I wanted to know if we would get any days off when one of our parents passes away? Let's say during the school semester, and you are the only English teacher, will they let you go and be with your relatives? if you ask why, my mom is in bad condition.......

butlerian · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Location: Korea

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

Don't ask, just go. I had a friend who's mom was diagnosed with a brain tumor. he was on a plane in just a few days. She's recovering, but he made the right decision to go home and spend time with his mom.

If a job doesn't understand that your mom is sick and you need time off, you don't need to be there.

hubba bubba · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

Yeah, I'm going with...

This is one of those situations where you don't ask them, you tell them.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

The Korean labour law stipulates that a person gets a week off for a death of a parent.

Samantha · Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Location: Jinan-dong Hwaseong

My sympathy. This probably has to be the hardest situation in the world to deal with. You want to be there or at least in contact with them but with the time difference and the costs it can be really difficult to do as well.

This is one of my biggest worries about being overseas is that I'm going to get that phone call of someone died. My grandparents are 86 and one isn't in the greatest health. It's the thing I always dread when my mom answers the phone that she's going to start off with..."Sam I have some bad news......"

butlerian · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Location: Korea

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

From someone who has lost a parent- if your mom is in a really bad way, you won't regret the cost of airfare or a job to go home and spend some time with her now.
This is a horrible situation to be in, and I'll be thinking about you.

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:53 pm Post subject:

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:56 pm Post subject:

ehsann24 · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Location: Korea

I lost my grama and granpa since moving to this beeeeeeeeeeeeephole.....and right now my contract ends April and I have used all my vacation time in korea and the reason I have never left this country is due to the fact that all the holidays given to me were at high season and the tickets are f.....n expensive....I got a call from my dad asking me to come home and be with ma.....but I just have 2 more months on this contract and I have already signed a new one and I dont break contracts, its just not in my blood....I know one of these days I will get a call saying to come back ma is gone and then I will just leave no matter what they say....I hope they will give me atleast 10 days.....has anyone had a problem like this in korea? and how many days off did you get?
cheers lads......

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:42 pm Post subject:

poet13 · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 1:08 am Post subject:

Sorry to hear you're moms having a rough go.
If you need to go, just go. In this country where anscetors are valued and honored so highly, they should understand. If they don't, then that goes a long way toward telling you what you mean to them.
If you get canned, there will be plenty of jobs for you when and if you decide to come back.
Good luck.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

my public school gave me a week off for my grandmother, but it was a bit of a fight for it.

ChopChaeJoe · Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: Seoul

Word. Hope your mom recovers. Talk to your director now, get a feel for what you can expect. I imagine they'll let you out of your contract if the time comes, maybe they'll take you back later.