Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cwm]

I'm coming up to my 4-month mark for a standard contract at a public middle school.

Problem is that I really dislike my main co-worker. She's a bully that micro-manages and looks to start fights or put me down. (Another reason for leaving is that I have other things back in the US that I'd like to get back to.) She's bad-mouthed me to the main school supervisor (3rd most powerful) and I'm worried about how they're going to respond when I give notice. At the end of the first semester, she threatened to fire me and made me sign a paper. When she's just around me, she plays power-games where she behaves quite viciously.

Contract says that employee must give 60 day notice while employer must give only 15 days notice. After 6 month mark, employee doesn't have to pay back the airfare. Also, there was a small starter-amount they gave (300,000 won) they would have to be refunded to them.

I'm not planning on working in Korea again (anytime soon anyway) so I'm not concerned about getting the letter of release.

I just want to make the best of the situation and leave in the best possible way. So, I want to give resignation shortly after the 4-month mark (so that my last day is shortly after the 6-month mark).

Questions: 1) Should I be honest when I resign or should I say a family-emergency excuse? 2) Can they deduct airfare or anything else from paycheck after I give notice? 3) How long would my visa be valid for after they fire me? (My wife is giving 60-day notice at her job but should definitely stay to the end - so I'd like to stay 45 days later if they decide to fire me.) 4) Do I have any leverage if they up the job-requirements to try to get loads of extra lesson plans/materials out of me?

Any help would be appreciated as I'm quite worried about what they could try to do me after I give notice. Thanks...

[tob55]

You might want to consider waiting a little longer before giving notice...If you submit your resignation now, they will stiff you for the flight and other money you have coming to you I have been here long enough to know that some people will take advantage of everything they can. You telling them you resign after 4 months in their mind means you have not worked there for 6 months. I know it sounds strange, but do it and you will find out the hard way.

You might try to see if there is some way to work around the main KT who is giving you fits. Are you working well with the other KTs? If so, then you must try to find some way to get them to do your fighting for you. Your main KT is on a power trip and thinks she can do no harm, but trust me she has something she is hiding that she doesn't want to get out. It may be she sees how well students respond to you and not her...I don't know, but there is something that can be done to silence her and make the rest of your stay in Korea somewhat more pleasurable...Hope this helps a little...

[dogshed]

If they addressed the problem with your coworker would you stay? If not then I wouldn't say that was the reason you were leaving.

[bosintang]

[expat2001]

Im currently working at a public school.less then 6 months into the contract , I decide to quit.
I could hav ran or given two months notice and pay back a total of 900 000 won.I chose to be honest and since then I ve had nothing but problems.
Late after school pay
They took away my vacation
Why would you be honest w/ them anyways?
Because they are a public school? Do you feel you owe them something?
Keep this in mind , when an expat leaves before the one year mark , it makes the school look bad , therefore I think they ; the school ,would be out for blood even if you gave notice.

GEPIK is a hogwon

[expat2001]

I think some people hav too much faith in the laor office. Experience has shown me that , for the most part , the labor office means well.However , I d say that when it comes down to it , the labor office doesnt hav that much pull.At times it can be a long and slow process.
Sooner or later , GEPIK will find away around the labor office .
At times people make GEPIK sound like its the new thing and it will only makes ESL in korea better for expats.
Cmon , GEPIK is nothing more then a wolf in sheeps clothing

[cwm]

Thanks for the great replies. Yes, it's a GEPIK school that I work at.

The co-worker is the self-appointed English Director at the school. She's not my direct supervisor but she is always telling a temporary-teacher (1 year Korean teacher) what to tell me. I don't know if all schools are as political as mine, but power is everything at my school. I don't think I have any way of getting out from under her...

I don't know if she has the actual title or not, but I can see that she plays the power-politics well - she gets along well with the vice-vice principal who seems to have the most day-to-day power. She intimidates the 1-year Korean teacher. Most of the other English teachers dislike her but they can avoid her because she doesn't have any real power over them. I sit next to her when not in class and she's a relentless micro-manager. It sucks being stuck with someone like that.

I don't have too much faith in the GEPIK program or intermediary-agency as far as helping. They never even told me who I could talk to in case of a problem. At the time that they called the agency that works with the school, the person just came out and said you have to make them happier. When I talked to her in private, she said that it was a well-known difficult school but I didn't have many options. It seems like the in-between agency just works for the school.

From my experience at this school, it seems like face-saving and appearances are all that matter. The better teachers seem to always be put down. So, I think it wouldn't be wise to tell them my honest viewpoint.

A lot of power probably rests with the principal. In my dealings with him, he's been cordial so maybe he'll be willing to do the right thing from their side.

[Betty Rubble]

Does his school still have to give him thirty days notice if they fire him? Even if his contract says they only have to give him 15?

[cdninkorea]

[CentralCali]

[expat2001]

[gujer]

I am with expat on this one.... you get more problems after your decision to tell them and things just get worse ...normally.

Secondly Central cali talk about doing up the chain..What chain exactly? when no one up the chain speaks your language?

Well this is a tough call however, do what is best for you and which you are able to live with. At the end honesty is the best policy. As was said before , there are other teachers here who might have suffer due to what was done by other teachers.

But this is KOREA after all .

[CentralCali]

[CentralCali]

[ESL2007]

GEPIK is worse than many of the bad hagwons. Avoid them. They are the Wonderland of the Public Schools.