Korean Job Discussion Forums

[rhian]

Hi, hope you've all had a good weekend and enjoyed the glorious sunshine.
I'm looking for some answers to my question re hogwan's sending teachers out to work at public schools on the side.
What's the deal with this? I know it happens a lot but is it legal, is this something that we teachers mostly grudgingly accept? are we withing our rights to say no?
My director reckons the other school has contacted the govt and that they have in turn instructed him to pack off his foreigner for six classes a week... hmm, quite what he is on about here I am not sure...?
Please fill me in on any knowledge and/or experience you have with this ready for my anticipated fistycuffs tomorrow!

[Crois]

Yeah i am in the same situation. One way to think about is that they are paying you so they need to make money. Also you might be contracted to work 30 hours so they make you work.

Might be in your contract that you agree to work at all franchises or contracts.

Best advice is to go with the flow.

[Real Reality]

Did you agree to it? Did you complete the form at immigration to add a workplace? It is probably illegal.

Application for Alteration or Addition of Employment place
http://www.moj.go.kr/immi/certificates/e_certificates.htm

When a foreigner desires to change or add working places under his/her present status of sojourn, he/she must apply for and obtain permission to do so in advance. For example, this permission is required when an English teacher wishes to teach English at a different language institute from the one originally designated, or desires to teach English not only at a language institute originally designated but also at a different language institute under the same status of sojourn.
http://www.moj.go.kr/english/helpDesk/faqLst.php?pcode=090&dcode=006

[Crois]

Thats Hogwons but what about Public Schools where we only use their class room? I think maybe it is the Hogwon working there and going to the kids instead of the kids going to the Hogwon.

[rhian]

Thanks for the info, I will enquire as to whether the school's applied to alter my visa (hmm!).
As to my contract, it originally said that I had to work at any location at the manager's discretion. I questioned this at the time and was told that it would not occur and that I could remove the clause from the contract, which I did.
I appreciate that the hogwan has to pay for me somehow and would be more inclined to sympathise/co-operate if they had a more open way of communicating new changes such as these and gave even the remotest bit of consideration...! Oh what can you do...?!

[TheUrbanMyth]

You are only allowed to work at ONE location, unless you get permission. I've worked two jobs before and I had to go to Immigration and get it stamped on my ARC. Refuse until you have checked with Immigration. You don't want to be fined and deported, because someone forgot to cross the "t's" and dot the "i's".

[djsmnc]

Yeah, I must say, while your director may ensure that it is legal, do you think your director has ANY type of concern about the legalities? All he/she is thinking about is the smell of fresh green MAN WON notes.

I was suckered into this at my first job in Korea, and was given a small bonus for it...SMALL bonus. Come to find out, for the small amount of cash I was whored out for, I found out my boss was making 5 times that amount for sending me there. I actually discussed it with the owners of school number 2, and they were shocked to find out how little I was paid for it. The owner of that school actually paid me about 500,000 out of her pocket because she felt bad, then told my boss that they didn't need a native teacher anymore, and my boss was furious! I hope she rots in hell.

DON'T DO IT, unless you are in the Immigration office signing an official document.

[rhian]

okay, so I've expressed my concern to the boss man and he says it is only illegal for hagwon teachers to teach at two hagwons, public schools are different...

[UncleAlex]

Back in 2002 there was a part-time teacher at the middle school I was working
at, who was hired out by her hogwan boss. Eventually, she was nabbed by an
inspector who apprehended her and levied a fine of 500,000won. Her employer
was fined much more, but he wouldn't cover her fine. Of course, she was very upset
and decided to pack her bags and return to Canada. If I were you, I would
contact the Ministry of Justice to see where you stand. What you're doing may still
be illegal. The authorities will show you know sympathy, although you were told
by your employer to teach at the public school. In principal, I refuse to be sub-contracted
because the employer makes a lucrative killing, while we're slaving away for peanuts.

[Real Reality]

WORTH REPEATING
UncleAlex wrote,
"In principal, I refuse to be sub-contracted because the employer makes a lucrative killing, while we're slaving away for peanuts."

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Crois]

Can you give us a website or telephone or something.

But the school might let the hogwon use the classroom and we just go there. What's the issue for this???

[ajstew]

Just giving my two cents worth. My first year here I worked in both. My employer said he was going to get permission to do both... but the year came and went and nothing was ever done. I couldn't have cared less though, since I was making quite a bit of money with what I was doing. What did bother me though, was that despite making the money I was, my boss lied to me about what the hourly pay really was. It turned out he was pocketing a lot of the money that the elementary school set aside for me. Anyway.... it's over and done with now. If you're getting extra cash... then I wouldn't complain too much. These kind of things are not so bad.

[rhian]

no extra cash, it's just taking me up to my agreed 30 hours . . .

[Crois]

I'm in same boat and been doing it for the past 7 months.
If you do over time do ask if working at the public schools is legal and if they say it isnt just refuse to do anything over 30 hours unless you want the overtime.