Korean Job Discussion Forums

[catieneely]

So up until Monday I was having no problems in Korea, and seemed to have completely lucked out with my Hagwon. Then my boss pulls me aside and says that due to falling student numbers he and the company president have decided I have to go.

Back story: I've worked at this academy since September 2009. In September I re-signed, with the understanding that I would only be working until the end of Spring term in May. When I arrived we had 200 students, 4 foreign teachers, and 4 Korean teachers. Now we are at 120 students, 3 foreign teachers (soon to be 2!) and 2 Korean teachers. They aren't doing great, but they don't seem to be about to fold either. The thing that really makes me angry is that they just brought in a new teacher 3 weeks ago and are now telling me that I'm the one who has to go so that they can reduce the teaching staff. They have no complaints with me or my teaching, in the meeting where he told me they were letting me go he actually said that this was probably the wrong decision and that I was one of the best teachers they had ever had (oh yay!).

On Monday he said I would either work until January 31st, or February 28th when the term ends, but he wasn't sure. I told him that I needed to know that as soon as possible. Yesterday he came back and said that while he really wants me to finish out the term (not so much because it would make my life better, but because then he won't have to rewrite the schedule and deal with angry parents when my classes are taken over by Korean teachers) the company president says I have to go by the 31st of January.

My questions are:
a) Can he do this? It seems pretty absurd to let me go when I have the most experience, have never had a problem, and they just hired a new foreign teacher 3 weeks ago.

b) Does he have to give me written notice of dismissal? I've read that I need to be given 30 days notice in writing, and I asked him for written notice of my last day, but when I left work today, nothing.

c) I didn't receive my one year's severance in September, which is fine because he is not trying to get out of paying it. My question is, can I get a pro-rated amount for the 4 months I've worked since September? I've read several places that this is possible, but my boss says he can't do anything unless I find the Korean law for him to show to the company president.

At this point I'm ready to be done. It is earlier than I had planned, but they are going to give me my ticket, my severance, and pay out my salary. I'll probably have to fight them over vacation days (I've only taken one, but they want to count the two days the academy was closed during the summer as out of my vacation time. So a) and b) are more for my curiosity than anything I want to change. Question c) I am most interested in.

Sorry for the long post, any help anyone can give will be greatly appreciated!

[rollo]

I think that you are catching the blame for their failures in management. They think a new face will help enrollment. They lose an experienced teacher, who wants to do a good job and get a question mark. Get your money , every cent and go!! There are good jobs else where. Sorry for your troubles.

[Steelrails]

Sounds like the company you are working for is going through tough times and ou are getting the short end of the stick.

First, you've done nothing wrong, and by all accounts you've done a good job, so don't beat yourself up over it. If you want to hold your head a tad higher consider that your company failed or that you were downsized.

Second, it seems that you are about to lose out. Maybe you could got ot he labor board and win something. It depends if you want to take those steps.

Tough break man. I wish I had better news.

[matthews_world]

They probably got someone on the cheap.

On to better pastures.

Just make sure they write a stellar reference letter for you to use in your future employment and that they can back it up when employers come a knocking.

Since you're on your second contract, you will have the visa transfer process in your favor and will make you more marketable rather than having a school gamble on a noob, having to buy their round trip airfare from the onset.

[earthquakez]

It's obvious that they have a new CHEAPER teacher. If you asked them they'd lie and say the new teacher is on the same contract. However, you will find the new person they're bringing in will be paid less.

It's not about you, it's about poor management. A Korean hagwon does not rise or fall according to the native English teacher. You're not teaching all the subjects there and you wouldn't be teaching the kind of English required to pass standard Korean English tests at any level.

While this is unfair, it is your employer's problem. Bringing in a new teacher under these circumstances will usually result in fouling up the situation that was good with the previous teacher. Trust me, I've seen it in Korea a number of times and I saw it in Japan. At one English school in Tokyo I knew of because my friend worked there, they left because of the manager's nonsense and the replacement managed to get the school's numbers from 130 down to below 40 within a relatively short time.

In Korea the scenario is not at all unusual. Some of us have seen it happen in public schools. The experienced teacher does not renew or is not renewed and it has nothing to do with how popular and effective they are with their classes. A fresh teacher comes in, proceeds to screw up because of lack of support and also lack of experience. Believe me your hagwon will get what they wished for - a new teacher - and they might also find themselves finished in the not so near future.

[earthquakez]

[lifeinkorea]

Doesn't sound that bad. The new March school year is around the corner. Get a release letter and find a school for March. I'd take it.

[IlIlNine]

[ttompatz]

[quote="catieneely"
My questions are:
a) Can he do this? It seems pretty absurd to let me go when I have the most experience, have never had a problem, and they just hired a new foreign teacher 3 weeks ago.

b) Does he have to give me written notice of dismissal? I've read that I need to be given 30 days notice in writing, and I asked him for written notice of my last day, but when I left work today, nothing.

c) I didn't receive my one year's severance in September, which is fine because he is not trying to get out of paying it. My question is, can I get a pro-rated amount for the 4 months I've worked since September? I've read several places that this is possible, but my boss says he can't do anything unless I find the Korean law for him to show to the company president.[/quote]

a) Yes, he can do it (under the labor standards act provided he gives you at least 30 days notice.

b) Nope. Writing protects him in case YOU file a complaint (easier to prove a letter than an oral declaration) but you have been given your notice. Prepare to move on.

c) Yes, it is in the labor standards (pension and retirement) and and available on the MOLAB website or by calling them.

http://www.molab.go.kr/

.

[jinks]

[Junior]

They want a new face.

Never seems to be a policy applied to the Korean teachers though.

However foreigners are expected to periodically uproot themselves and spend all their savings while they are forced to find a new job. Korea is a hotplate, they keep you jumping. They don't want any foreigners getting too comfortable here.

[catieneely]

Thanks for all the advice. It's nice to know that the severance is supposed to be pro-rated, that'll be a nice extra bit of change for the move back home.
Thanks for the link ttompatz, I tried to find where is specifies pro-rating after a year in the labor standards on the molab site, but can't seem to find the exact place you are referring to. I might just end up call them if I can't find the law to print out and show him.

I'd like to be able to bring him the law though, because as lazy and lame as my boss is, I think if I bring it to him he won't try to fight it, most of the nastiness comes from his boss, the company president. If I have to I'll go to the labor board, but I'd rather keep things as civil as possible since they still have lots of opportunities to make my life miserable over the next month. Man, employee sponsored visas are the worst invention ever.

[eb]

OP- I am not lawyer, so as far as the illegal implications go, there is really nothing to be done execpt making a trip to the labor board. Iam just curios about some small details you didn't provide on your first post
I know you said there intially there were 4 foreign teachers and 4 Korean teachers..BUT

Were there ALWAYS the same amount of males'and females' working there ( Korean and foreign)?
Were all the foreign teachers' predominately white? younger? male or female? All American?
What about your director? Was he fully Korean or only half?

See,. I can't help but to wonder if there is a certain level of dicrimination going on here, as there should always be equal amounts in gender/race/age/nationality. YOU MIGHT just wanna just all this info by a licensed legal proffesional and get a more definte opinion.

[catieneely]

Thanks eb, I'm not sure if they're required to have equal amounts of gender/race. Mostly I just want to know about my severance. Thanks everyone for all the advice.