Korean Job Discussion Forums

[benjaminthunderbolt]

I couldn't pull up any results on this topic from the search so I thought I'd throw it out there:

Working for a hagwon and the contract states the usual 3 sick days. It's a very small hagwon- only 3 Korean full-time teachers and 2 foreigners- so if someone gets sick other workers have to cover the classes.

Up until this point, I've only been sick once, at which point I asked to leave but they made me stay until 5 PM (leaving a whole 2 hours early) because nobody could cover.

I've worked here 8 months and called in sick this morning for the first time. They called me back saying that they could cover the morning classes, but I'd need to come in during the afternoon. I refused, telling them I was throwing up and haven't used any sick days. They said I had used 'several' (which isn't true, even if you count leaving 2 hours early as 1 sick day) and need to come in.

What's the deal? If my contract states I have 3 sick days, can I refuse to come in when sick? The doctor prescribed me meds and told me I had fever and flu symptoms. How does renting a 'substitute' teacher work in Korea, as well? Thanks.

[debinoxford]

The contract may say 3 sick days, but in order to really use it, you have to keep refusing their demand to come in. My personal rule is if I'm vomiting then I stay home. If you've been to a doctor and got meds and are throwing up, stay home by all means. But be prepared for the cold shoulder when you go back tomorrow. The sick days are put in there to appease the non-koreans, not to really be taken seriously. Fight it though. You're sick.

Sick days aren't used by Koreans unless they're hospitalized. It's cultural. No wonder the flu and colds are never-ending here. It's a sign of weakness to stay home sick. So they all go to work and sneeze and cough all over each other and don't wash their hands properly and spread germs. I remember one time in my hagwon that 2/3 of my kids were with the chicken pox and they STILL were at school.

[benjaminthunderbolt]

Yeah, it's a strange system they have going here.

Do you know if there are on-call substitute services in Korea? They always make it seem like they'll be absolutely devastated if someone can't come in, although I remember reading something about substitutes for 20,000W/hour so they're probably just being cheap. Shocker.

[vDroop]

It mostly because of the parents. Kid goes home and tells mommy they had a new teacher. Mommy calls in to complain.

Substitute = bad. Not what they paid for.

[Princess Soraya]

I'd love to know if anyone can top this:
During my first year in Korea, I had a hagwon job that afforded me, wait for it...an entire SIX hours of sick leave for the year. That's right folks, six HOURS not days. I was horribly sick one day and my boss sent me off to the doctor. In total, I used 1 hour of the 6 for the year. Cmon, beat that!

[DeMayonnaise]

Why do people work at hagwons? I get 11 sick days this year. Booya! Public school FTW!

(Not to mention the 20 vacation days...)

[Missihippi]

[kprrok]

[Princess Soraya]

[Princess Soraya]

P.S. Does that mean nobody can beat my record for least amount of sick leave? I guess I win!

[stimpleton]

I can't say I win for least amount of sick leave given, but I probably can for the amount taken - 0 hours for 4 years (so far). I seem to only get sick on weekends...

OTOH, our manager got hospitalized due to a gastric infection not long before Chuseok. It was pretty serious - there's practically nothing of her, and she couldn't keep anything down. No big deal for us; we covered her classes, merged others etc and kept the place running.
Obviously it WAS a big deal for the boss. She gave the manager a bollocking for having 2 weeks off work receiving nutrition through an IV...

I know there's a culture of 'sickies' at home, but it certainly seems like an overreaction to me.

[le-paul]

I couldnt give a flying fiddlers fart what it says in my contract - if Im too sick to work, I dont go in. Im not putting my self in the hospital (in the non - korean sense) to appease these asian hillbillies.

Maybe if I thought it was appreciated that I made the effort to crawl up the 3 front steps - i would make an effort - but they dont even ask if your ok, as you faint into the classroom.
I once saw my boss make a teacher, teach even though she had lost her voice! I told her to leave and did her class for her and she looked at me as if Id just put down her sick, dying cow.

I dont like to make excuses for 'its cultural' either - maybe it is but its also bloody crass, draconian and inhuman to make people work when they are really sick (as well as being counter productive).
People talk about culture here like were living in the star trek universe and going against the 'prime directive' or filming a bloody wildlife documentary...

This is the year 2010 !!! Weve got to to learn them!

[Princess Soraya]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[NYC_Gal]

11 days is fine, unless you have something serious come up. I used 8 (I think) last year. You're legally allowed more, as a PS teacher, but you don't get paid for it.