Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Rios]

I work in a public middle school (working hours 8:30 - 4:30 pm) and I was just told today that I have been selected, by the Provincial Board of Education, to teach English classes to teachers from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm every Tuesday and Wednesday for 7 weeks for NO additional pay!

I asked my head English teacher if my teaching hours would be overtime and her response was NO. Instead, my classes at my immediate schools are going to be reduced.

I asked my head teacher if teaching these class was optional and she said NO because it is something that is being mandated by the board of education.

I'm not sure how this can be mandated if my contract clearly states my working hours are from 8:30 - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday. Besides, i'm not getting overtime for teaching these classes. In addition, teaching these classes cuts into my personal FREE time which the Board of education has no idea how important my FREE time is to me. Last but not least, my contract clearly states that I have the RIGHT to refuse overtime so if teaching these classes is not considered overtime, why the hell should I even teach these classes especially if I am not even going to get paid and simply because these classes are after my working hours?

I expressed my thoughts, in a professional manner, to my head English teacher and she was surpised.

I understand my school has nothing to do with me teaching these classes. However, this decision made by the Provincial Board of Education to have me teach these classes greatly affects my decision for renewing my contract (in October) with my immediate schools.

Since this matter is between me and the Provincial Board of Education, I believe that I can simply tell my head English teacher that I refuse to teach these classes simply for all the reasons I have already stated. If the Provincial Board of Education is not happy with my decision, they can do 2 things, either fire me or find some other native English teacher to teach these classes.

Before, I approach my head English teach with my decision to stand my ground and not teach these classes, I would greatly appreciate any feedback, suggestions or ideas you may have regarding my situation.

One final thought, This Sucks!!!

-Rios

[gsxr750r]

If your contract states between 8am and 5pm, for example, then you can say no.

Show them your contract and tell them you refuse to teach past contract time, unless they want to pay you extra for evening class.

Something is not being told to you correctly. They are either:

A. Pulling the big-name game by stating that "The provincial board of education says you must do this", but they are actually full of crap and just want you to teach it.

B. The PBOE doesn't have a clue about your contract, and the school has been told that you must teach the teachers, but they are reluctant to schedule a time during the day when many teachers are busy (most likely scenario).


This type of strong-arming is typical Korean bullshite.

You need to clearly state that you will not work outside of your contract hours without special pay, or better yet, tell them not at all outside of the time.

As long as you are insisting on following the contract, they won't fire you. You might not be renewed, but if they are pulling crap like that on you, you'll want to find a new school (and you can easily) at contract time anyway.

[xtchr]

Which province?

[laogaiguk]

Yes, this is a big no-no. And you can't do it because that will be bad for the future. If your contract shows your work hours, show it to them and
1) Demand overtime pay
2) If you don't want to do them, tell them they can't force you to do overtime (which they can't, though they will try as Koreans barely ever say no to overtime and won't understand what you are doing at first).

[gsxr750r]

If they reduce your working hours, this is technically not OT, but it demands a higher pay rate if you agree to it.

If you give in to this on their terms, you will be doing yourself a huge disfavor, as well as other teachers everywhere.

Tell them no, or pay me an evening rate. That's why my high school used to do.. and they paid something like 30,000 per hour for that.

[bixlerscott]

You have to be kidding? Well, I know your not. I am not one of those posters to get on here and say your fabricating this or insane like a few do.

It's not a hagwon so yes, I would think you can use the contract as a means of justifying that you are refusing OT, especially unpaid OT.

In fact, I have seen many public teachers post that they volutarily accept OT for bonus pay, but are not obligated to oblige when offered after 4:30PM work.

Sounds like you got a crooked callous head teacher trying to just use you. I could bet it's an informal arrangement he/she are trying to set up just to inconsiderately, "use", you, so communicate through your channels as high as you need to go until the problem is resolved. I would think that a hagwon would fire you, before public school would as it's government and they claim they are way way short of FT's.

What province are you in???

Are other FT's in your school or province getting the same treatment?

[xCustomx]

I think there was an identical thread just like this a few months back. I am too lazy to search for it, but something tells me this was copied.

Why not just leave the school at 4:30 and if they complain you can tell them what your working hours are. If they complain, you could always show them the contract.

[gsxr750r]

By the way, politely point out all of this with a friendly smile, and no matter what they say, refer to the contract and be very friendly about it.

If they threaten to fire you (and they won't) then they have no grounds to do it. Finding another teacher at this point is purely hell for them. They wouldn't fire you, and you'd have grounds for unfair dismissal with the Labor Board if they did (hagwons pull this crap, but rarely do public schools). You'd get a months pay, etc., if they did fire you, and you could easily get another job.

You are holding the cards here. Don't forget that.

Just be polite. Getting angry about it makes you look bad. Smiling and showing them you won't be pushed around makes you look strong, and they might actually respect you more.

[gsxr750r]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[poet13]

Hey Rios. I think you're the Rios I know. Still squeezin' that tennis ball? Waiting to see you on TV getting your ears all caulifowered and stuff.

You remember that butt-bandit at the POE who said I couldn't go see my family? Wanna bet it's the same guy tellin' your school you gotta do this and that? I'd lay some solid odds on it. I heard murmurs of something similar a week or to ago, but I closed the door before anyone got their foot in it.

I know you value your free time a great deal. Tell them to get stuffed.

[JJJ]

Start negoiating. Either pay me for the extra hour and a half or give me, let's say, 3 personal days off that I can use ANY time.

Good luck.

[ED209]

Yeah something similar is going on in Daegu.
Teachers are being blackmailed into this.

"What? Extra classes no OT pay?No way"
"Think about summer vacation. Do you want to come in everyday?"
"Guess you don't want me to re-sign then"

Very stupid. They think they have all the cards by waving the vacation under your nose but in truth teacher retention just hit a new low. Wonder if they'll figure it out.

[babtangee]

[ED209]