Korean Job Discussion Forums

Tristan · Joined: 02 May 2008 Location: Seoul, South Korea

I'm pretty passionate about South Korea and its culture in many ways. I came here two years ago looking for a positive experience. Though a lot of time has passed and I've become somewhat jaded, I've learned to maintain a balanced perspective on the simple differences I've encountered with Korean co-workers. I have encountered many scenarios that seem absolutely ridiculous to me and wouldn't even be considered a subject of controversy or conflict back home. Throughout it all I've managed to weather the storm but this past week I was finally able to accept the fact that there are just some things I will never see eye to eye with a Korean on - regardless of how balanced my perspective is.

My best friend recently had a death in her family. It was someone very close and dear to her. She found this news out on Sunday and was completely (and understandably) grief stricken. She works at a hagwon, that is pretty busy at the moment, because their intensive summer camp starts on Monday. On Monday morning, at 7 am (3 hours before her classes started) she called in and told the head teacher that she wouldn't be able to come in. She thoroughly explained the situation - though, in any other rational case you wouldn't actually have to meticulously explain your abscence in the even of a family member's death. The head teacher's only response was:

"Oh.....but it's summer camp...."

My friend went on to tell her she would be using one of the 10 days off she is entitled to in her contract to recover, emotionally, from what had happened and that she just couldn't imagine coming into work.

After a little more of a guilt trip the head teacher finally relented and let her off. Later a head teacher at my school (my friend's school is a smaller branch of mine) received a call from her head teacher. She was asked to knock on my friend's door to see what was up with her. That alone is WRONG on so many levels. The foreign head teacher here refused to do so.

My friend received calls throughout the day from the head teacher and finally picked up. She confirmed, under pressure, that she would do her best to come into work the next day.

Problem solved right? WRONG. My friend comes in the next day and is ushered into an office with the head teacher and her boss. They have a long discussion about what is considered acceptable and unacceptable behavior for a teacher and that the death of her family member did not justify a day off. The director considered giving her a letter of "warning" but was talked out of it by the head teacher who was "watching out for her."

1.) She was entitled to days off in her contract - including sick days
2.) She had a death in her family.
3.) The family member was extremely close to her.

What is so hard to understand about this? They did not express any compassion in the matter whatsoever and proceeded to tell her that she was wrong for taking the day off when the intensive summer camp was just starting. I am absolutely incapable of seeing this from their perspective. The sad thing is...they were able to cover her classes without a problem...

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Simple... tell them that they have no choice, and if they get nasty about, remind them that the labor board would side with her on this issue.

The school will NOT want the labor board involved.

xingyiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2006

In every contract there's usually a part convering unexpected calamities and so forth. The director is just being a tard.

cdninkorea · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

Things like these used to surprise me.

Then I found myself surprised that I was no longer surprised by them.

Now I'm no longer surprised that I'm no longer surprised by them.

Have I reached Terminal Pessimism about Korea?

jdog2050 · Joined: 17 Dec 2006

R-Seoul · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Location: your place

It surprises me! A lot in fact. I remember when the mother in law of an employee died at my company his entire team took the day off to attend the all day funeral.
Another time an employee's husband died quite suddenly, my boss told her to come back when she was up to it, the employee wanted to come back after a couple of days - my boss refused and told her to take the whole week off.
Major difference was that I didn't work for some fly by night hagwan but for a multinational.

The way your friend is being treated has absolutely nothing to do with Korean culture, her boss is an arsehole - you meet them the world over.

fortysixyou · Joined: 08 Jun 2006

R-Seoul · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Location: your place

marlow · Joined: 06 Feb 2005

Everyone back to their cages.

Tristan · Joined: 02 May 2008 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Tristan · Joined: 02 May 2008 Location: Seoul, South Korea

ds_fan · Joined: 07 Apr 2008

so if a very close family member dies and you need to return to wherever for a funeral can or cant you?

Iv heard too much crap like this, not full of the joys of spring today with korea, sick to the stomach with the place.

Tristan · Joined: 02 May 2008 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Faunaki · Joined: 15 Jun 2007

Ok I was teaching a winter camp and was totally new to the place and students so I was set up with a co-teacher. One day he came up to me and told me he had to leave early, I said no problem, what's up. He tells me his sister's kid had died in a car accident and the funeral is at 3. Holy crap! I ask him are ok you? He says, he's fine. The thing is, the guy stayed the whole time and didn't leave early. When I mentioned that I had no problems with him leaving, he told me it was his duty to stay.

My basic opinion of him was very low.