Korean Job Discussion Forums

[some waygug-in]

Today, the head co-teacher asked me to correct the grammar on a short letter.

So I read through it and discovered it was a statement saying that I would agree to teach xxxxx extra hours outside of regular classtime.

Then she asked me to sign it.

Yeah right.

I told her that I am not agreeing to what it says and I didn't sign it.

She replied that it was just a formality, as they need to have such a letter on file?
"We don't really want a class at this time" but sign please.


Luckily, the bell rang and I had to go to teach a class, but I am expecting there to be some sort of confrontation over this.

I do not like to be lied to or tricked into doing something that I didn't agree to, but it sure seems like this is what they are trying to do.

Uggg.

Anyone care to elaborate on how I might be misinterpreting this situation?

Thanks.

[Alyallen]

That's weird. I teach extra hours but didn't sign any papers what so ever. I smell a rat! But I could be very wrong

[gsxr750r]

Sign it and you sign away any chance of winning at the Labor Board after they screw you.

Tell them you signed a contract for X number of hours, and you will be sticking to that contract.

[poet13]

Wow. That sounds like such a slimy thing to do. If someone comes to me and is up front about wanting an extra class or two, I will almost always be fine with it. But that? Shoot. On the principal that they were deceptive alone, I wouldn't agree to work the extra classes, ever.

[nautilus]

I thought all that sort of behaviour was unique to hagwons.

That stuff should be in your contract right at the start.

They can't make up new additional contracts as they go along.

[some waygug-in]

It is entirely possible that I am misunderstanding their intent.


Perhaps they wanted to draft a letter to have on file in the event that they would decide to ask me to teach extra classes in the future.

Perhaps what she was trying to say in her broken English was something like .."and this is where you would sign if this were a real situation".


But it certainly didn't come across that way.


I've heard through the grapevine that the foreign teacher who started here last year did a midnight run. Hmmmm.

I wonder what other joys await me ....

[ED209]

sign it 'Korea Fighting'
see if they notice.
Month late they ask you to do the classes, they wave that piece of paper in front of you. ㅋㅋㅋ

[poet13]

Doesn't sound like you misunderstood anything. And I STILL wouldn't tecah those extra classes no matter how much they scraped and bowed. Think of it another way. You decline to teach 2 of the hours per week or say 8 per month that you agreed to in your contract. What happens? Nothin' good, that's for sure.
It's the principal. They were deceptive.

[pkang0202]

Bust out the contract and point exactly to your stated hours.

[rothkowitz]

I've signed something in the past merely stating that I agree to do extra lessons(paid)

Just sounds like a voluntary overtime agreement.

20-25K straight after regular classes-4;30-5:20.2 blocks of 20 classes during the course of the year.

Fine with me.

[nautilus]

[dmbfan]

[rothkowitz]

This is paid voluntary O/T we're talking about?

[some waygug-in]

If it were voluntary, I wouldn't have a problem with it.

But when they try to trick me into doing it........

I will show them my contract if it continues to be an issue.

[ajuma]

If the letter is brought to you again, you might try explaining that this is NOT a good way to approach the situation. Koreans sometimes feel that we want to do everything "by the book" (TRUE!), but they don't realize that if we're asked to do something else, we're pretty flexible...as long as we're being paid for our time.

Or...they may be trying to screw you over!! Did the letter say anything about number of extra hours or overtime pay?