Korean Job Discussion Forums

[joshuahirtle27]

On the 24th, just before our school Christmas party, my boss calls me into the office and tells me that over the past 10 months he's been getting complaints about me. These included letters to the school about how bad a job I've been doing... over ten months. Also he wanted to tell me that the kids haven't been improving (which I know is a complete lie) and I'm the worst teacher the school has.

He then proceeded to say "you should do better in '09 or else there is going to be trouble" which I took as a threat against my employment. I know I'm not the best teacher in the world and I would never assume I was better than anyone but I would think that 10 months is a little too long to be absorbing complaints about a teacher. I'd have fired me long ago if this was truly the case.

My concern here is what can I do if Wonjangnim decides to can me in mid January/ Early February. My contract ends on March 4th (he seems to think I have to work all of March and sign another contract for basically a month[another thread]) according to my ARC and the way I count the months.

[justaguy]

I wouldn't be surprised if the complaint letters were all manufactured last week by the same person.

I've seen hogwon directors manufacture fake time cards, take them to court and try to use them as evidence for firing a foreign teacher in their 11th month. Good news is the judge didn't buy it for a second and the teacher got a favorable judgement.

[joshuahirtle27]

I didn't actually see the letters. I was just annoyed that he was bringing me in to tell me I sucked. Is there anything I can do in case he decides I'm not worth keeping... It's been 10 months, time to shit or get off the pot eh.

[Xuanzang]

Well you dont need to repay airfare anymore. I think it`s manufactured evidence because what Korean student or parent would write a letter? More likely to call and complain than pen and paper. I call BS.

[joshuahirtle27]

I feel the same way about it. I mean really? Letters? I was also told I could measure how good I was doing upon whether or not my students moms sent cakes in. By my count there have been 20 cakes in 10 months and they were all for birthday parties for the school. If we're measuring teachers performance on delicatessens then I think we're all f***** in the quality aspect.

[Xuanzang]

[ED209]

Start job hunting now. March would still be a good time to start a public school or uni gig. Any labor hearing is gonna take a while.

Familiarize yourself with the labor laws and even keep a Korean copy handy so you can shove it in his face when things get ugly. Make up a story about partying with a friend who sued his boss for wrongful dismissal

Keep records. Ask for the letters. Ask which students 'so I can focus better on them'. Record all conversations and meetings on mp3(youtube them later
)

Once you are 'free' and have what money you could get from them 'name and shame'.

Here's the website;
http://english.molab.go.kr/english/main.jsp

You can also call 1350

[Jeff's Cigarettes]

Basically a no-brainer really...just serve out ur remaining two months and then find a new employer. Don't tell your boss you're not re-signing, just don't.

[sojourner1]

I guess you went from worlds greatest teacher to worlds worst in one day? It happens. Actually it's a head game based on nothing.

My director tried the exact same thing with me too in the beginning of my 11th month, except I turned down the 13th month request as soon as I heard it. I showed no flexibility when push comes to shove. A 12 month contract is for 12 months; not 13. She's trying to buy more time just in case she doesn't yet have a replacement in time as she will wait until the last minute. It's typical to get crapped on like this. Now it's time to stand up for yourself without getting too confrontational. This is how many of the hagwon directors operate to belittle you out of what you deserve or owed. She's looking to screw you as to give herself a New Years bonus. If she runs you off in the 11th or 12th hour, then she can report to her boss or the owner that she paid you severance and airfare which allows her to pocket a cool 4 million. You also should check with National Pension Service and National Tax Service to check if she's paying in what she deducts from your pay. I know what them slimy wangjangnims are up to. You can bet she knows nothing about teaching nor about administering a school as she's just a greedy business finance person looking at numbers in her computer just sittin there sucking her teeth.

You have to stand up for yourself, even vehemently express yourself, and be direct and concise about the facts with her and show her you're not a lenient and passive pushover, but are assertive, serious, and committed to executing the contract out to the end. You can beat her at this game unless she's a really unruly and downright evil vile thing which only a few are that bad while the rest just challenge us. Koreans too have to put up with the same treatment day in day out through their lives from greedy stingy business managers. American managers do the same thing when they're downsizing. I personally think the government ought to shut em' down, because they're not real schools due to being for profit stingy businesses.

[BigBuds]

He pretty obvious what he's doing.

He's just setting it up so if next year the economy gets worse and he starts running out of money, he has a reason to fire you. One that he can use against any labor board case. He'll just say that he spoke to you about it last year and you didn't change so he fired you.

I've seen similar BS work at the labor board so just be prepared for it and have some other avenues open.

[joshuahirtle27]

Well the thing is he knows I'm going home in March. It was pretty obvious when I had to have a plane ticket booked for my (then) pregnant wife. I doubt he'll fire me in the 11th month.. I know that's illegal anyway. As for telling me to change that's hear say. Besides saying "go ask the other teachers how you can be better" isn't exactly giving me an idea of how to change.

[joshuahirtle27]

[Tathen]

This crap happened to me during my first year.

It was basically a ploy to make me feel like I couldn't survive at another hagwon, and thus I should be thankful for the job I had currently and not think about switching hagwons (as I had already told them I would be doing).

I was also pissed, because 10months had gone by with no incidents, and it just made the end of my contract that much more stressful. However, I did have my best friend of 10+ years working there with me, so they knew if they canned me he would clearly midnight run on their asses out of loyalty and revenge for me (I would have happily bought him his plane ticket along side mine). Anyway, save up some money in case something happens. Given you're not coming back and you have a wife and baby back home, they might try to ef you over due to your time constraints related to VISA and family back in Canada, in the hopes that you won't bother fighting it.

Keep you head down, act quiet and calm at all times, and don't sign or orally agree to anything.

~Tathen

P.S. Next time listen to your friends when they tell you not to work at "LonderWand".....

[joshuahirtle27]

[Scotticus]

Yeah, this is all pretty standard procedure. Shitty hagwons come in two flavors: the "we don't pay you on time/at all" and the "we let you know for months and months that you're doing fine/great, then at the end suddenly manufacture problems because we like fucking with your head."

My first year here was the former, for my gf it was the latter. Unless they fire you, just let this stuff roll off your back and remember that next year will be better (assuming you're like many people and get the eff out of the haggie business).