Korean Job Discussion Forums

[romano812]

A friend of mine has been given a "quarantine" period by his school because he went to Thailand for vacation. This is funny (and sad) for several reasons. While in Thailand he saw, and spent time with, one of the Korean teachers he works with. No quarantine period for her. Further the principal is still making him come to school and sit in a room marking. Finally, on the weekend and for the last 2 days he has been hanging out with co-workers after work. Apparently this is a "quarantine".

[I'm no Picasso]

So it's a quarantine on paper only, which means your friend's superiors and coworkers know the whole thing is stupid. This is a good thing.

[Carla]

But he's "working" and gonna get paid, not bad. Most people with quarantine problems are not getting paid. The school is so stupid. The point of the quarantine is because if it turns out he has swine flu (let's not even talk about the korean teacher not getting quarantine, that's a whole 'nother level of stupid) then the school will be forced closed by the government for 2 weeks. Now, since they have him at the school marking, then it doesn't matter that's he's not teaching, the school will still be closed for two weeks if he turns up with swine flu. If he was teaching classes and got swine flu, then it's not only the classes he was teaching would be closed, but the whole school.

Unless the director is just missing a large segment of his brain, he might just be trying to make the parents happy and not worried about the big bad germy foreigner, but at the same time keeping your friend working.

[lifeinkorea]

Have your friend wear a pig costume the next day and ask the school, "You think I am taking this swine flu thing too seriously?"

[cruisemonkey]

Quarantine 'desk warming'... now that's messed up!

When I come back from holidays, I'm not allowed to go to the school for a week - it's essentially an extra week of holidays... just can't leave K-land.

[Otherside]

[romano812]

I never said he was getting paid. That has not been determined yet. The YBM (ooopps maybe I'm not supposed to mention names) contract states pay is based per classes taught, not hours worked. Since he is not teaching classes, no pay. The school has pulled things like this before.