Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Provence]

Well after talking about for months now my husband and I are finally leaving our hagwon. The hagwon has already broken contract with us on several occasions but the final string was them accusing my husband of using drugs because a couple other foreigners got caught awhile back. However, it didn�t stop there; they even went as far as searching our apartment while we were working today. All of the things in our apartment were tossed around today after work. We have nothing to hide as we are not using drugs. We were offended because it shows us this school really doesn�t trust us even though we have been working with them for over 6 months now. We are always on time, do our job professionally, and have never even taken a sick day.

Anyway, rant over. There is a good chance we won�t be coming back but my husband is considering giving public school a try. My question to all of you is what are our odds of being able to come back to Korea in a month or so to work at a public school?

Basically this is what I know we have to do.
-Hand in alien card at the airport and cancel our visa
-Go home and work with a recruiter to find a public school position.
-Get all of paper work together and meet at the consulate.

Am I missing anything? Also, Should I tell the recruiter or the consulate about or situation or should we not even mention that we worked in Korea before?

We are also pulling a midnight runner; the hagwon doesn�t even deserve notice as far as we are concerned.

[Ya-ta Boy]

That's really a crappy situation.

More bad news: You won't be able to come back until your visa expires.

Have you thought about calling the police and reporting this as a break-in? It's worth a try.

Good luck.

[Provence]

[bobbybigfoot]

Before you bolt, consider the implications. You may be better off sucking it up, and getting through this first year. You will receive double severance, full pension, plane tickets home, plus an easier time getting jobs with the public school system.

yes, your employers are dicks. But they won't be searching your apt everyday.

You mentioned they broke your contracts already but you didn't give specifics. Assuming you aren't being cheated out of money, consider sticking it out. Remember you have each other to lean on. Six months may pass quicker than you realize.

Just my two cents.

[danythegirl]

Have you considered trying to get a release letter from them?

I have quit 2 separate jobs in the past, and they both gave me release letters, and a few weeks later, I had new jobs and Visas.

[yingwenlaoshi]

Get your next pay, or if they've paid you for March already, go to the labor board and file a complaint, go to work and hand in your immediate resignation and have them sign 2 copies. If they refuse to sign, just leave it at that and go to immigration to cancel your alien card informing them that you have filed with labor and cannot live somewhere where your apartment is being broken into and cannot work somewhere that accuses you of doing drugs and the like. The school will most likely not give you a release letter, but you can type one up and see if they'll sign and stamp it. If they refuse to give you a release letter, tell immigration about the refusal and they just might see how impossible your employer is being. At any rate, they should cancel your ARC and give you 30 days to leave the country. It would be unreasonable for them not to understand your situation.

If you want another job right away, stay at a love motel and job hunt for a public school position. You should be able to find something in 30 days and then be sent on a visa run. Once you find a job, they can send you on a visa run to Japan. Or if you want to go home first, do that and get a job later.

No reason why you can't start working again soon.

[Sector7G]

I almost bolted 2 weeks ago when my hagwon was sold(written about elsewhere). I decided to go to Immi to find out my options.

They said without a letter of release, which the old employer already refused to give me, I would have to leave the country to cancel my visa, and start the visa procedure all over again from scratch. They said this presented no legal problems, but the old employer could bad-mouth me to prospective employers. But I wouldn't really view this as much of a problem if you level with them. It wasn't for me- I had a place ready to take me immediately.

yingwenlaoshi's advice seems pretty good.

[moosehead]

yeah if anyone knows about leaving a job - it's ying

[Ruraljuror]

I'm a big fan of completing contracts...I've put up with unbelievable s*** just to complete the contract and get the airfare, housing deposit, and severance.

I have to agree though...that's pretty intolerable. I can't imagine coming to school and teaching with a smile on your face with this going on behind the scene.

The good news is this: You actually have a massive hammer to wield since there are 2 of you. Just about any hagwon, no matter how small and crappy, can cover (with difficulty) 1 midnight run...but 2 would pretty much crush them. I would confront your boss, let him know that he's in the wrong, and demand some recompense or a letter of release. Get creative. Bigger apartment, fewer hours, more money. Some combination of 1,2, 3 or 4 of those demands.

If you play your confrontation correctly, your boss (who is clearly in the wrong) will feel shame at his false accusation and fear at losing 2 hard to replace foreign teachers. If he is willing to accomodate some or all of your demands, finish the contract and collect the free money. If not, leave. You have nothing to lose from doing this, since you were planning to leave anyway.

[D.D.]

[sketcha]

... seems it's a better idea to tough it out for (how many more months?) and get the severance et al

but dont be surprise if the hagwon will try to back out from paying the severance ...

let's hope they will be honorable and will honor their contract ... oh wait, scratch that ...

well, just be ready for anything ... dont assume the worst, but be ready for anything