Korean Job Discussion Forums

[IncognitoHFX]

So I work at a hagwon. A rather good one, but also a small hagwon that could disappear soon if the numbers are low. For that reason the staff seems to try a little too hard to keep the parents happy.

Anyway, I don't work very many hours. I'm contracted for 1:00pm-9:00pm, I usually show up around 1:00pm, prep for an hour and a half, teach from 2:30-8:00/8:30pm and then go home.

Lately, though, there has been a bit of a problem. I really need to prep, I usually have so much to do that I generally spend from 12:30pm - 2:30pm doing exactly that. If my prep goes ahead of schedule, I goof off, but that only happens infrequently.

But lately, my director has been plopping students in front of me the second 1:00pm rolls around. "Can you teach so and so for an hour?" "Can you go over this with so-and-so?" Fine. I usually just put homework in front of the kid and continue with my preparation. Especially if its a kid who I don't actually have on a regular basis.

Today I was very irritated, because I came in at 1:00pm, we had a meeting right away, then rushed my prep until 2:30, and taught from 2:30-6:15. I went six hours without eating which isn't a big deal, but I find if I don't eat for more than seven hours of being awake I start to get shaky, headaches, et cetera. At 6:15 I'm supposed to have a class off until 7:05, during which time I usually eat something and prep for my next two Middle School / High School classes (which require the most prep).

Anyway, lately they've been plopping kids in front of me during those periods too... and sometimes kids that aren't even regular students (other classes). Today this happened, and I had the two loudest, pre-K kids in the school. I actually lost it once and yelled, then felt very bad afterwards.

Its just that I'm working 8 hours straight without a break some days, and I can't do that. I need to eat. I'm also a smoker, so a cigarette would be nice. Is there a legal loop hole here? What am I to do?

[ttompatz]

You mean like this clause from the Korean Labor Standards Act:


Article 53 (Recess Hours)
(1) An employer shall allow a recess period of more than
30 minutes for every 4 working hours and more than 1 hour
for every 8 working hours during the working hours.
(2) A recess period may be freely used by workers.


Note that is 4/8 working hours and NOT 4/8 hours worked.

[IncognitoHFX]

[huffdaddy]

[IncognitoHFX]

[jellobean]

You got a bad contract. Unless you are making in excess of 2.5 per month there is no way you should have more than 30 teaching hours per week. These days, 30 is the standard and 25 is not uncommon. I'd say stand up about that or get a new job.

[ED209]

Just order a pizza and sit in class eating eat as the kids do a word search.

What was your manager's response to your complaint?

[Fresh Prince]

[IncognitoHFX]

[Atavistic]

Your posts lately raise BIG FLAGS IN MY MIND. Your hours should be clear. Your overtime should be clear. If you can come in as late as 2 without them complaining, then you'd better start doing so, because they're taking advantage of you.

My last hogwon, I was told everyone got paid on time. Then funky crap started happening and nobody got paid and I got evicted and screwed out of more than 2 million won. Yeah, yeah, she was "kind" too. Same thing, "Oh we're only doing these classes for this month" and then they were suddenly there the next month, too. Or "Oh can you please teach this child..." out of the blue.

You need to clear things up NOW and keep your eyes and ears OPEN.

The hogwon I was at had been in business for years, had a solid base, teachers that worked there all said it was great, had a good rep in the area...in the end, none of it mattered.