Korean Job Discussion Forums

Milkman Dan · Joined: 10 Jan 2009

Okay, so I have a potential dilemma on my hands...

I've been offered an interview with the JET program that will be conducted this month in Guam. The problem is that the interview date is on a weekday before my current contract with GEPIK is up. Obviously, I'm going to try to reschedule the inertview date, or try to arrange the time off with my school etc. But the worse case scenario would involve me "skipping" 2 days of work to attend this interview, and then return and finish my contract.

I'm fully aware of how immoral and irresponsible it would be to do such a thing. And this is weighing very heavily on me. But landing a gig with JET would be a dream come true, so I'm feeling really conflicted.

So I'm wondering what sort of ramification I could expect for skipping a day or two of work near the end of my contract:

- Could I be immediately fired?
- Could my severance and/or airfare be revoked?
- Could I be blacklisted from ever teaching in Korea?

jrwhite82 · Joined: 22 May 2010

Yes x3.

GEPIK allows you to miss three days of work without providing a doctors note. So you could call in sick twice. But....it is VERY common for your coteacher to come to your house to check on you/help you.

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

Lie. Tell them that your brother, sister, and/or parents are going to be in Japan and that you have to meet them. Stick to your story.

Or lie and tell them you're sick, or whatever. Don't tell them that you're going to interview with another place, especially in Japan.

Sounds like immoral advice, but this is exactly what a Korean would do in this case. Different rules to play by, but you'll save yourself a lot of grief in the long run.

And again, I emphasize sticking with your story. Don't bring it up if they don't...ever.

jrwhite82 · Joined: 22 May 2010

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

Everyone's advice is to lie. What the heck? I can't stand dishonest people. Just tell them your situation. I'm sure they won't understand, but just be firm and tell them look I can't make it you're gonna havbe to deal with it. And if they're jerks about it, the most they can do is dock your pay for the two days you missed.

Riker · Joined: 28 Dec 2010

Good luck with the JET program. I hear its awesome.

minos · Joined: 01 Dec 2010 Location: kOREA

Long as you give them the heads up, they should be cool

Granted, if your school likes you and wants to resign you badly, LIE.

BIG WARNING:

I tried something similar(short vacay with friends last minute)....my school flipped out...not becuase of time off...

My public school principal said it was common practice to notify the school properly before leaving the country even though it was a holiday....They were pretty pissed off I was gonna jaunt off without telling them(I decided to ask for an extra 2 days off last minute).

She said it would affect my contract resigning....actually didn't get resigned that year....

So yeah....tread carefully.....

EDIT:

I tried that brother/sister story.....didn't mean a damn...ironically...it was partially true Rolling Eyes

...If you give proper notice in advance, I think you'll be fine....

minos · Joined: 01 Dec 2010 Location: kOREA

shcforward · Joined: 27 Sep 2009

sirius black · Joined: 04 Jun 2010

My vote is lie if you have any inkling the truth will not be respected. Meaning they punish you for being honest. I worked for a great boss but he was also Korean and how they react to things makes lying a necessity at times. He didn't want me to leave the country for vacation the first break I had. The western thinking is, its my g-damned vacation and I can do what the eff I want on my vacation. He was concerned about my getting sick if I went overseas. Amongst other things you (and I) are an investment. I lied, went overseas and 'everyone' was happy. Kept my great relationship with him and got the vacation I wanted. I try and tell the truth to him as much as I can but I also know when it will not be a good idea.

Honesty may be respected and treated as such in the west but you're in a culture that doesn't reward honesty at times and those that tell you to tell the truth don't have to live with the consequences of a school that doesn't respect your trying to be honest. In a perfect world you can tell the truth. Korea ain't even close to being perfect. One only has to read the countless stories on here of how we are lied to very often regarding a wide range of things by our Korean bosses to know that they don't respect honesty the same as we do.

Other than your guilt, what's the consequences IF they don't find out? Pick your battles to tell the truth. This may not be one of them.

WadRUG'naDoo · Joined: 15 Jun 2010 Location: Shanghai

Repeat after me:

My tummy hurts.

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 5:09 am Post subject:

Do you have a multiple-entry visa?

If not, leaving the country will void your E2.

How is your relationship with your employer?

If it is good, you risk ruining it if you lie.

Hard choice for you OP but at the end of the day I would tell my boss directly and explain the situation. I hardly think they will die of shock or be in toxic shock about you not wanting to re-sign with them as they can find another teacher pretty arn easily.

You are thinking of exiting the country...thats not like just staying home and taking a few days off.

Think about it for a second.

willteachforfood · Joined: 24 Jan 2011

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 11:18 am Post subject:

So the E2 visa is now multi-entry?

If thats true, thanks for the update.

Yet on various sites (recruiters, programs) you get a variation of this:

N.B.: If you are planning to leave Korea on holiday during the validity of your visa (and most people are), you'll need a multiple entry visa. Multiple entry visas are usually not issued by Korean consulates in Canada but are easy to get in Korea. Someone from your school will help you with this. The additional cost is around C$40. Be sure to get a multiple entry visa before leaving Korea on holiday or you will be unable to return on your already-used single entry visa.

The on EFL-Law, dated 2008:

Getting an E-2 teaching visa
Once you have agreed to a contract to teach English in South Korea, the next step is getting your visa. This visa is called an E-2 visa, (some people qualify for E1, E7 or the F2 Family visa.) These are valid for one year or more depending on the type. A single entry visa does not allow you to leave and return to Korea on the same visa. Thus if you are planning on traveling internationally during your sojourn in Korea be sure you get a multiple entry E-2 visa. After arrival in Korea, your school owner Must/Should/Will take you to the local immigration office to apply for an Alien Registration Card- which is essentially an ID card during your stay in Korea. Always ask for a multiple entry visa when applying for the Alien Registration Card.

So according to this, you need to request for your visa to be multiple-entry, otherwise it will not be. The OP would know what type of visa he has but if he did not request the multiple-entry visa, he will have problems when he returns from his Guam trip. Better safe than sorry no?

It is possible their information is also out of date.

You will notice I did not argue the morality of the issue, I discussed work relations and potential consequences...quite different.

This is not a morality issue at all. It is a decision the OP needs to make considering his current job, his oppportunity to interview for JET and the possible consequences of his choice.

Just for fun, say he flies to Guam after lying to his boss (saying he is sick for example) and then for some reason his flight is cancelled and delayed by 24 hours (that NEVER happens in air travel)...what will he do then? Call his boss from Guam and cough into the phone saying he still sick?

What if some co-worker decides to visit his place to see if he is ok (that too NEVER happens), will he pull a Ferris Bueller and rig his appartment with sounds of snoring and coughing? Laughing

willteachforfood · Joined: 24 Jan 2011

The changes are very recent, as within the past few months. I believe they took effect in December. They also changed the fee for adding additional workplaces to your E-2. You no longer have to pay 60,000 won per workplace....it is free. You still need the same documentation to get the workplace approved, but they no longer add it to your ARC, they simply put the info into the computer and give you a print-out.

Sure...dude's flight may be cancelled or delayed and he may need to extend his lie by a day...but if you tell the school what you're doing and they freak out and tell you no, then there isn't much he can do about it.

I was given great advice once: "In Korea, it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission."

I realize that your take/position on Koreans and Korean society is different than the average bear, but you must admit that while there are plenty of normal, rational Korean people, that it is far more likely that your Korean boss will NOT behave in the manner that you would expect your Western boss to behave in situations such as this. There is far more vindictive, childish, spiteful behavior in the workplace in Korea than in other societies.

That reminds me...a buddy of mine who worked at a public school (he's gone now) had a co-teacher literally hide his books from him because she was mad at him for something.