Korean Job Discussion Forums

[joshuahirtle27]

[Ya-ta Boy]

After years of people calling in 'sick' on Monday morning so they could stay home in bed with a student...after years of someone calling in sick so they could take a 3 or 4 day weekend in Japan, are you that surprised that employers want to know that someone is really sick? ALL of us pay a price for those of us who abuse the system.

[crusher_of_heads]

Do what VanIslander said, because if you give children such as your principal an inch, he'll take a whole lot more.

[Rae]

I ended up just sleeping. After the first email, I was so pissed that I couldn't call her right then and there anyway or else it would have been worse. When she emailed again, I vented to a friend and got all tired and just slept.

I'm totally against doctors here. They just give you meds for the hell of it. I just want to rest in peace. So ... no, I'm not going to the doctor. I have the flu, I just need sleep. I'm also not going to give my friends name and contact info, regardless of what's been said or what they'll demand, I refuse to be treated like a runaway teenager. I work hard and if my 3 days of absence is going to overshadow all my year's work then fck them. I'm leaving anyway! I counted 13 school days left until vacation. If they want to give me a hard time for 3 friggen days then be it.

With that said, itaewonguy is right - my co-teach is just doing her job, although for damned sure she will be the one that'll give me hell and no one else! I emailed her just now stating my return.

Oh well, we'll see what happens on Friday! (BTW, I don't teach at my main school on Wed and only have 1 class on Thurs.)

As for the comment about the fcktards that ruined things for us. I disagree totally. If someone abuses the system, they can just fire them like every other job that has fcktards. Triple checking to see if someone is really sick isn't helping anything at all! It's just insulting for some and irritating for others. We're paid to work, some of us actually work hard. We are alloted sick days. Even if the Kteachers never use their sick days ... we're obviously not Kteachers and until they really start treating us like Kteachers (with all the benefits) then they shouldn't expect us to suck it up and pretend we don't have a sick leave section in our contracts!

[Rae]

I have to add that I really hate the shit out of this. It's just another way of them pointing out we're not Korean and don't have rights here.

[gazz]

I was off for a day last week.

To cut a long story short if you ring in because you are sick you should at least email your co teacher some cover work for the classes to do (short of family death ect ect).

If you have a cold (PS I think you are a *beep* by the way if you use that excuse, have constipation, headache, bad back (which I had), shitting blood ect ect), you should at least be considerate enough to your co-workers to send some stuff in.

You are also more likely to get more respect from them when you come back.

From reading some of these posts I think some of you have never done a real hard days work in your life!

As for the doctors thing, I agree when I went to get a check up for my back he examined it, told me to face the wall........ a minute passed I turned round and he was about to sick a needle 1 inch into the base of my spine with no warning!

WTF!

[Rae]

[Rae]

Update: I got a much nicer, sweeter email without any demands and so I caved and responded with an explanation. I briefly commented about the misunderstanding of each other's email and that I will explain to my principal when I return.

I feel so much better. It's interesting how a simple email that is phrased in manner like it's for a individual (versus one that's phrased like it's for child, or a servant) can ease so much stress. I'm no longer angry and looking forward to come to work. Yeh, I know I'm a sucker!

What's more interesting is how in the end, they've got me feeling like a child again regardless. In retrospect, this whole ridiculous charade has been played out like a typical teenager/parent manner - complete with my initial response of anger and protests.

Oh well, I'm sure this won't be the end of it. I'll see what happens when I get back to work.

[DavePuff]

Back home, if you missed a couple of days from work, wouldn't you be required to get a doctor's note as well?

I understand the lameness of being sick in this country and taking time off but, and a few people have mentioned this, its done for a reason.

In 2005 I got chicken pox and my director came up and tried rubbing the pox's off my face just to make sure I wasn't lying to him. I managed to score a week off.

Douche.

I purposely came back early to infect as many of the kids as posisble.

[Bondrock]

[DavePuff]

[Rae]

[Rae]

I'm bracing myself for school. I'm thinking about leaving early so I can get the moral support of few uncle figures in the school. I used to carpool with one of them and came to school really early because of it. It'd feel better arriving first and being settled in my desk before getting whatever it is I may get.



Can a mod please move this to the job-related section? I just noticed it ... sorry

[Rae]

Briefly spoke to my principal on my way to school and he seemed concerned. Later I was informed that he's requesting my co-teacher to take me to the hospital but I refused since I no longer have a fever anyway. I normally like to stay away from hospitals back home and especially weary of Korean hospitals.

Now they're sending me home early to rest. Aww I guess they do care afterall. It was a good idea that I came early as well. Seeing the old uncle-like figures this morning helped relieve my stress.

My favorite non-English speaking teacher greeted me by saying she had a dream I'd come back to school today and hope I feel better.

I feel better even though I feel a little sick today. I'm glad I don't have to stress by just being sick.

[khyber]

As hard as it is to understand, I DO think there are some people who actually DO care about your well being, in much the same way that coworker would care about you back home. Empathy doesn't ALWAYS have to be bullshit just because you're in Korea.