Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mmstyle]

OP, I'm glad to hear that you will be getting everything that you've earned. It sounds to me like they were stringing you along for their benefit, and were not concerned for your health whatsoever (if they were, they would have let you go to the doc).

Just want to mention something that applies. My sister went through something similar. When she was a kid, she went through a period of unexplained fainting spells that scared the crap out of my parents. They happened occasionally for about a year or something like that, then seemed to stop. The docs could never find any reason for it. Flash forward 15 years, and it happened again, maybe twice in a month. Again, doctors could find no reason, nor could they find a medical problem of any kind. She hasn't fainted again in the last 10 years or so since. I know this doesn't answer your concerns, but the worst part of it for her was just that people around her were a bit freaked out; she is otherwise fine.

Good luck OP.

[gypsymaria]

Thanks again, folks.

Another interesting snarl has turned up, but this time it isn't focused on me. Actually, I heard it secondhand from the OTHER NET's that are also leaving around the same time.

Apparently, since our visas are running out a day or so before the contract ends, and they don't want to get fined for having us work without proper visas, they're going to send us home a week early. No word on whether this means we still get our severance or not, but I intend to ask into the matter.

From what I understand, it only costs about 30k won to get a visa extension for about a month or so, which seems to me like a fair price to pay to get another month's worth of salary. Unfortunately, we can't do that unless we have our exit plane tickets in hand, and we won't be getting those until they ship us home.

Can anyone quote me some details on the legality of this situation? Could they be trying to screw us over, and can they get away with it? Is this a common issue?

Thanks for all your help!

[TheUrbanMyth]

[gypsymaria]

Looks like they're going ahead with letting us go about 5 days earlier than planned (the 23rd instead of the 28th) because they don't want to deal with the paperwork/fees of a visa extension. HOWEVER. They have also promised to pay us our final month's pay PLUS severance several days before we leave Korea, so we'll have time to do a bank transfer. They're also in the process of booking our flights and will give us our tickets soon.

Now that we've had an actual sit-down meeting, some of my suspicions have been put to rest. I've been a little paranoid lately due to this whole health debacle, but I think that the school is acting in good faith at this point. I did bring up the fact that we could extend our visas, but she said, "Well, since the new teachers will be here already, we'd rather not bother with the expense, so you can just go home a little early and still collect your severance."

The only thing we're getting shafted out of, as far as I can tell, is that three working days worth of pay. But that's not really a problem for me. I don't mind going home a little early, as long as I'm getting the pay I've been promised.

So, I think it will work out. If not, I'll know who to contact. Thanks, everyone!

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

Get it in writing or don't step on a plane.