Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chickyabroad]

I've been kind of expecting this to happen since I found out that my director hired a couple to replace, at the same time, myself and the other foreign teacher I worked with although his contract ended in mid-September and mine doesn't end until the end of October.

The two new teachers just arrived this past Tuesday and won't be starting work until Monday. My director just called me tonight to ask if I would be willing to leave early, either on the 12th or 19th, instead of the 26th. His reason for this is basically that he's had to spend a lot of money recently for airfare for the new teachers, severance and airfare for my past co-worker and myself, and for severance for the several Korean teachers who have left or are leaving soon and he doesn't want to pay for three foreign teachers for the rest of the month.

He also mentioned that he wants the new teachers to get to know the students quickly because we're having mid-term tests the last week of October, so they will have to do progress reports then. To me, that would be a reason to ask me to stay - they have absolutely no experience and understandably might be a little bit freaked out at having to make up and give writing and speaking tests and write almost 200 progress reports in their first month.

Anyway, that's the background... I really don't know what to do. One one hand, I'm so ready for a break, and the thought of only having a week or two left instead of three is kind of good. But on the other, this just p*sses me off out of principle and I am trying to save money, so having my last month pay be half of what I was expecting isn't great.

So my ultimate question is, is it really worth insisting on staying until the official end of my contract just to stand up to a pushy hagwon director, or should I just ask for a little extra money towards my flight home? I'm planning on coming back to Korean in Feb or Mar next year and there's only about a $200 difference between him getting me a one way ticket home and a round trip.

Sorry for the super long post, but I really appreciate any decent advice!

[xtchr]

If I were in your shoes and soooo close to the end of the contract, I'd stay right to the very end of the contract, so that I could get my bonus for completing a full year's work. Don't let your boss wrangle out of that one.

[chickyabroad]

Ah, forgot to add that point, he will still pay me the severance, no matter when I leave. So that's not an issue. It basically comes down to staying because of the principle and making a little bit more money, or being able to get out of here a little earlier.

[NightSky]

Go early. It's only a couple weeks' of pay--how is that going to make a huge difference financially to you? And finishing two weeks early if you're at all tired, sick, burnt out or just done with Korea is a bonus in and of itself.

[garykasparov]

[cruisemonkey]

You seem to trust your employer implicitly. This is foolish.

If you leave early, I can almost guarantee you will be 'minus': two weeks pay, your severance pay and the cost of your air ticket home.

[MarionG]

I agree with GaryKasparov...but I wouldn't "demand" those things (I don't imply that he said you should) but rather tell him that in order for you to feel confident about it all, you would leave on the __ of October, as he wishes, IF you have those things XX days before you leave.

[xCustomx]

Get it in writing that if you leave early you will still be paid severance and your ticket home. Don't allow yourself to be put in a situation where you may lose those 2 things all because you leave 2 weeks early

[Paddycakes]

I smell a rat...

Tell him to give you the severance and ticket "in advance".

[Pak Yu Man]

Tell your boss you're going to travel around Korea for a week then Asia for a week. It'd be so much easier if I had cash for my ticket, my last month and my bonus in cash. I heard Jeju is beautiful. I also want to go to Dokdo to see what all the fuss is about.

Say that and the $$ is yours.

[RedRob]

[chickyabroad]

Well, considering that he's insisting that I make my flight reservation using his credit card, I don't think I have to be worried about being out the cost of the flight. And although the one area he's always been straightforward about is money, I will get anything we agree to in writing, of course.

Thanks for all the advice... I think, if negotiations with him this afternoon go well, this might be my last week in Korea!

[Paddycakes]

[chickyabroad]

Nope, not getting screwed (well, not yet)... now, after a discussion with the director, I'm staying until the end of the contract and the two new teachers are only working part time until I leave. So they're possibly getting screwed instead.

[garykasparov]