Korean Job Discussion Forums

koreanwench · Joined: 17 Jan 2009

So I'll be the first to admit it: I'm a stupid newbie who made some mistakes and have now gotten myself into quite the conundrum and quite possibily fired (although I'm still not entirerly sure).....

I was hired by my chain school via a recuriting agency. I was told that I was the first foreign teacher in a new school. They sent me my plane tickets to Korea along with another ticket to Japan (which I was told would be for a "visa run").

I got to Korea and all was fine and well. My principal and teachers were nice and seemed to want to make me happy. Then I asked about my trip to Japan. It was here that I was told that "that was a fake ticket so that I could get into the country" as immigration does not allow you in without a visa if you don't have an exit ticket.

And so, I worked for about three months on a tourist visa, asking my boss almost everyday when I would get the proper E2 visa. Finally, our summer vacation comes, I tell her that I am going to Japan to visit friends, and she tells me that I can do my visa run then. Fine. Whatever.

Three months later she finally gets me my ARC card because she is "too busy" and the lines and immigration are too long (which is strange because I waited in line less than ten minutes).

Fast forward to Thursday. I had been looking at staying in Korea for a second year, but not with the same school. I had a promising job lined up (great pay, much better location, ect), however they wanted me to start 3 weeks before my contract was up. Also, the job does not start until the end of May (my contract ends in June). So, I go to my boss and propose that she let me out of my contract three weeks early and by doing so, gets out of paying my severance and airfare.

Friday comes and she asks to speak with me. She tells me that I need to give her my letter of resignation because she has already hired my replamcement and he will be here next month. I freak out and tell her that I"m not resigning at least not until the end of March at the earliest (because that would be my thirty days). She tells me I have to, I tell her I don't. Then I ask her if she's firing me and she says "yes." I tell her that she has no reason to fire me, and she tells me that because I'm unhappy at her school and want to leave, that's enough. She then tells me that I have to work 20 days---mostly for free because I have to pay her back for my airfare here (my contract says that if I break the contract I have to pay...but she's the one who is breaking the contract here).

Then she tells me that she will call the recruiting agency and try to cancel the other teacher, but that she's not sure if she can. She tells me that she will give me an verdict by 8pm. 8pm comes and she tells me that she has not decided, can I give her until Monday. I don't really see what choice I have, so I say "yes." Then she tells me "not to worry too much" and that she does not want me to have bad memories or Korea or her school.

Icing on the cake: She has never paid my health insurance (she claims I never asked for it but it is laid out in my contract and she knows that I have had to go to the doctor and pay in cash) or my pension, and she has never given me a proper pay stub (usually she gives me a handwritten note on the back of a scratch piece of paper). I know everyone says, "go to the labor board" but what else do I need to be doing? Can I get a job at a different school even though I've been hired? Someone told me that I could be deported and blacklisted for being hired and working here illegally...is that true? Please help!

Dodgy Al · Joined: 15 May 2004 Location: Seoul

Which agency-to-avoid lined you up with this gem?

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

koreanwench · Joined: 17 Jan 2009

Just to clarify: I still have four months on my contract left. The other school did not want me until May (my contract goes out at the beginning of June).

I'm American so I've go the multiple entry on my visa. Therefore, I'm not sure that doing a run to Japan would work.

moosehead · Joined: 05 May 2007

koreanwench · Joined: 17 Jan 2009

Thanks for the help....keep it coming!

The agency was Good Day Korea also known as Hoya.

michaelambling · Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Location: Paradise

SHANE02 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003

koreanwench · Joined: 17 Jan 2009

Tell me what word and I'll be happy to use another Smile

koreanwench · Joined: 17 Jan 2009

Tell me what word and I'll be happy to use another Smile

michaelambling · Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Location: Paradise

SHANE02 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003

If you plan on working in Korea you are gonna be saying, if not thinking it a lot.

ED209 · Joined: 17 Oct 2006

Whatever you do don't tell immigration or labor about working on a tourist visa. You will come of far worse than your employer.

If your boss decides to fire you get it in writing. She should give you 30days notice or 30days pay. Check out the labor page. http://english.molab.go.kr/english/main.jsp

Call pension www.nps.or.kr . She owes you that money and should be forced to pay. Of course you'll be forced to back pay too, but you'll get all back when you finally leave Korea.

Doing this now may cause you a few work problems. Your boss will probably see you as a trouble maker. Give her a heads up. Feed a bullshit line that the IRS back home are asking you questions about what tax you are paying and you will have to call pension asap. That if you don't you'll be find by uncle sam Wink

See if you can talk to any foreign teachers who have finished their contracts at the new school. Ask them about any problems they had concerning pay, pension, medical, taxes and visas. If the new school really likes you and wants you I'm sure they can put off the start date.

I'm not too sure how visa cancellations work these days, and I have the feeling immigration doesn't either half the time. I hope more posters with recent experience can give you advice on this.

ontheway · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:40 am Post subject:

Rule #1 to newbies:

Make sure you have an E2 visa in you passport BEFORE you get on an airplane to Korea.

Some experienced teachers come to job hunt first, and this is fine, but make sure that you go on a visa run and have your E2 visa before you start work.

If an employer wants you to come without an E2 visa and promises a visa run later, just tell them that you will not and it would be faster to get it before leaving. If they insist, find a new job.

ontheway · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:46 am Post subject:

OP:

You have been working about 5 months legally and 3 months illegally. Some of the trouble could stick to you, so it's best to keep this a low profile battle. Your employer will never voluntarily make up for all the pension and health insurance not paid to you.

It's time to get out. Start looking for a new job that will begin soon. Plan how long it will take you to get any documents you don't have and complete all the paperwork and start a new job. Plan to leave your current job accordingly.

After you are out and working at a new job, you can go after this previous employer for unpaid pension and health insurance. Your return plane ticket and severance are lost, so forget about them.

Get a new job first. Then get out. Then go after the old boss.

Good luck.