Korean Job Discussion Forums

Palladium · Joined: 26 Apr 2009 Location: Korea

This is kind of secondhand, but a guy I know from years back evidently had to take a physical. His liver enzyme values evidently came up rather high. He has to go back and take another test in a week or something. I used to work with the guy more than 5 years and I know he has drank the whole time (I've known him). He was told if his values came up high again, he could be fired from his public school job. As far as I know, he drinks on his own time and doesn't come in drunk (maybe smelling of booze on occasion).

Is this true?!? I know that with increased competition for jobs, etc... the Koreans can be more choosy in teachers they hire. I kind of feel for the guy, he is middle aged and doesn't have much money saved. Can they really fire an E2 teacher for this? If that's the case, I think they'd have to fire half the male Korean teachers I've ever seen here!

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

I've passed all my medicals (three so far). Your friend must drink a lot. I, however, don't drink all the time, but when I do, I drink a lot.

Anyway, I'm not a doctor.

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

If that applied to Koreans....imagine the unemployment rates.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 3:19 am Post subject:

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

Does he work at a public school?
I've had high enzyme numbers. I've never been threatened to be fired. There's got to be some other reason they are threatening him, he probably doesn't get along well with his school or something else.

blonde researcher · Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:38 pm Post subject:

If they are looking for something to fire him for then this is a good chance to do it legally.
Korean employment law allows for the employer to request any employee to take a medical at least once a year if they are in doubt of their health. Maybe this guy was seen drunk or drinking out of school hours once too often?
I doubt this will be a random selection

gillod · Joined: 02 Sep 2009

Oh, good. I also had high enzyme numbers. They scared me to death, tehy made me wait in the Cancer Ward. Anyway, no problem. They noted it on my exam, but no problems.

D.D. · Joined: 29 May 2008

I know this messed up western girl from the states that would drink soju on the job and never got fired by her public school. My co-teacher the first year was a drunk and he never got fired.

Whitey Otez · Joined: 31 May 2003 Location: The suburbs of Seoul

I had/have them, too, but I knew about it a few months in advance of taking the medical exam. The first test was for pre-screening for a surgery, and I didn't know about it and drank a lot the night and morning before (Ity was a Saturday morning, judges). I got my intake down, and got a clean bill from the government hospital shortly thereafter. These days, I'm lucky to drink a few beers once a week.

But the fatty liver conditions are linked also in relation to obesity. I'm pretty large, so maybe they gave me a higher allowance.

winterfall · Joined: 21 May 2009

jonbowman88 · Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Location: gwangju, s korea

Ive seen Korean teachers drink at school

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:03 am Post subject:

Sincinnatislink · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Location: Top secret.

Was that a real "shock" face?
lol

nomad-ish · Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 7:42 pm Post subject:

considering the drinking culture here, it sounds like they're looking for n excuse to get rid of him. i mean, really, he sometimes comes into work smelling of booze?