Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Asiablue]

The public school I worked for did not renew my contract for a third year, explaining this was due to budget cuts. I was on good relations with my teachers and school, and until the budget cuts things looked good for a renewal. The school gave me early warning so I could look for a new job. GEPIK, on the other hand told me nothing. No letter. No phone call. Nothing.

In spite of all my efforts and calls to various recruiters, no jobs were found, nor were any even offered. Several told me "We cannot find anything suitable for you." I am a white male of 51.

Rather naively, I thought that the bonus money, air ticket fare, etc. would be paid to my bank account one month after my contract had finished. This was because of a story told to me by a teacher friend some years back. Administrative delay or some such thing. No big deal.Two weeks after the end of my contract period, I called my co-teacher for some information and she told me point blank I would not receive air-ticket money and that "we are finished with you."

I went to the labor board and complained, but they told me I needed a representative to do that for me. My visa was overdue and I needed to leave soon for various personal reasons and money would run out if I remained. At the very least, the school owes me air fare ($1,400) and possibly more. How do I fight for this from overseas?

[koreatimes]

Don't leave Korea without what you are owed.

[ttompatz]

Unless you have a friend in Korea who is able and willing to go to the labor board for you and act on your behalf there is no chance of making a labor board claim from abroad.

.

[tigershark]

i'll do it if you give me half? Are we talking severance and airfare??? If so I'm in@!!

[sulperman]

What about the Gepik coordinator? Did you contact them?

[Weigookin74]

If you're still here, go to the school and behave like a Korean. Get emotional and start screaming. Walk into the teachers room, principals room,e tc. Make them lose FACE. Because, although I'm generally a nice guy, I would turn into a complete A^&hole if I were being shafted like that. Bring the contrct with you and don't take no for an answer. So many Westerners get shafted here because they don't think like a Korean. They reley on the logic of the western mind. Baisically the school doesn't want to pay it because they want to use the funds for some other thing. Even with budget cuts, they are still legally obligated to give you what is in the contract.

I only say this if you can't go to the labor board. Always do that first. Failing that call the teacher and school repeatedly. Call their main number and keep yeling at them in English. When they hang up, keep calling back. Man, I guess I'm a total Ba%%^&RD when people try to screw me over. Ha ha.

[ThingsComeAround]

Hey OP- are the gears in motion yet?

[Malislamusrex]

If you negotiate hard enough a school asking you for 330k can turn into you getting 1.5 million.

Just don't get angry and threaten them with the worst case scenario.

[koreatimes]

[Malislamusrex]

for the OP that will be difficult, that's just FYI.

If he is in the country, sit down with the admin chief, tell him the contract, tell him you are in contact with the labour board and are reviewing your options. How you negotiate and how badly you need your job after that is up to the individual.

[I-am-me]

You need to contact the area supervisor for Gepik. They will help you get your money. The co-teacher in her limited english probably meant they have nothing to do with sendig you money. It's really not their money. It comes from Gepik.

[jonpurdy]

As ttompatz said, since you're overseas you need a representative. A friend or a teacher you were close with could do this for you. It's impossible to do without a representative, though.

[jrwhite82]

Did you leave Korea within 10 days of completing your contract? If not, they are not required to pay your airfare. (provided you signed one of the newer versions of the GEPIK contract). You will need to prove that you left Korea no more than 10 days after completing. Used boarding pass, passport stamp would suffice as proof.

If you hung around longer than that, they are not required to pay for airfare. What does your contract say? If it is one of the older ones they should still pay it because it just says something like you will get the money if you finish the contract (no mention of having to leave or not). If it is a newer version, they won't have to.

They didn't pay your severance? Did you finish the full 12 months of the contract? You said you worked there for two years. Did they pay you your severance after completing the first contract or did you roll it over? If it rolled over they owe you 2 months salary if you finished the full 2 terms of your contract.

[Weigookin74]

Be nice at first. Contact the GEPIK co-ordinator and all that politely. But if you're still getting screwed, you gotta go to the mattresses. Korean culture is that way. Ever notice Koreans often flip out and get emotional? It's almost as though they're testing you to see what you're made of? I suggest as a last alternative you become Korean if the nice guy approach fails. Sometimes, it does and sometimes it doesn't. Only go nuclear and be "Korean" if you have no other option. Skype makes a wonder for cheap harrassing calls if all else fails. Home, school, middle of the night, etc. But go the nice route first.