Korean Job Discussion Forums

bbok23 · Joined: 23 Mar 2011

...what do I do now?

Okay, so where do I even start in explaining what has happened over the past two months here in Korea.

Today I was fired from my Hakwon in South Korea. My director made false claims, or rather lies, as to how I acted on the job. I am beyond angry with how I was just treated, like absolute filth. I have given it my all at this job since day one. Not trying to toot my own horn, but I have done everything this dude has asked of me and given it my best effort. Even with getting no break, not even time to use the restroom. I suppose it is relevant to say that when I did use the restroom, he would barge in and yell at me. The whole situation is one I could not even have dreamt up in how ridiculous it is and how heinous his actions have been toward me.

However, I am not making this post vent my anger. But, to warn those who may happen upon this place in the future. That, and also to seek advice with what I should do in my current situation.

So here it is, the best I can describe it:

Right now, I have just been fired. My director told me today that I need to leave as soon as possible (I am assuming he meant Korea). He was smart enough to fire me in the middle of the pay period, and therefore now he owes me 1 million won, on top of a 900,000 won apartment deposit that I paid when I arrived. So long story short, and I am sure you have figured out that he owes me 1.9 million won.

However, he says that I owe him 2 million won for the recruitment fee. At the most I owe him the 800,000 won for my airfare, and that is it. That means that he owes me 1.1 million won.

Here is where it gets fun. He told me now that I have to leave, and refused to talk to me or hear my side of the story at all. He motioned to the door as if I was some sort of animal, and told me to get out, and that we were finished. So now, I have no letter of release and he owes me money, and I am supposed to leave.

Not to confuse you any further, but as I was about to leave, he told me "See you Monday." Lol. I told him "are you kidding?" And he told me I was going to be working on Monday. I told him, "no money, no work." He told me, if I keep working for him until he gets another teacher, he will pay me my money eventually. My thoughts are that he is lying, should I midnight this joint? Or should I somehow go in there on monday and try and finagle a letter of release, or somehow the 1.1 million won I am owed?

To ovoid overcomplicating things more, I will end here. Hopefully someone out there can offer some advice, I would appreciate it more than I can say. There is so much else I have left out, working at this job has just been beyond ridiculous. Possibly the worst employment opportunity I have had in my entire life, simply put.

Cheers, hope whoever you are your day is going a little better.

-Brian

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Find a place to live cause you can bet he will try to remove your stuff from your apartment and change the lock on you.

Next stops would be:

i) Monday - off to the labor board to file a claim for your wages and deposit. He cannot keep either of them.

ii) Then it is off to immigration to change your status from E2 to D10 (I assume you have your ARC already). This gives you 90 days for your labor board fight and to find a new job.

iii) find a new job or go home.

.

bbok23 · Joined: 23 Mar 2011

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

bbok23 · Joined: 23 Mar 2011

drcrazy · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 6:19 am Post subject:

bbok23 · Joined: 23 Mar 2011

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 7:28 am Post subject:

What Ttom said and I would focus on priority one: find yourself a place to live because your employer can kick you out of the appartment since it typically belongs to the school and its a benefit tied to employment at the school.

File with the Labor Board and you can start looking for other work.

bbok23 · Joined: 23 Mar 2011

koreatimes · Joined: 07 Jun 2011

bbok23,

Is this the Talking Club in Anjung? I met with the owner there and I want to find out if this is the same person. When I was with that owner, things were ok.

bbok23 · Joined: 23 Mar 2011

koreatimes · Joined: 07 Jun 2011

Anjung is a "eup", like an area inside Pyeongtaek.

Be careful not to single out one school as being of all Pyeongtaek.

bbok23 · Joined: 23 Mar 2011

edit:

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:24 pm Post subject:

Beyondbelief · Joined: 21 Sep 2011

I understand where you are coming from OP. My Hagwon treats myself and the other foreign teacher like crap and we both feel like we are invisible there. 50+ hour work weeks, no overtime pay, and little acknowledgement that we are even there is taking it's toll. When are Hagwon owner/bosses going to start to give more respect to the foreign teachers? I mean, the foreign teachers presence at these places is why the schools can charge a premium over ones without foreign teachers. Think we'd get a little more respect for the service we provide while not even getting paid that much for it.