Korean Job Discussion Forums

bbunce · Joined: 28 Sep 2011

The Hagwon is trying to screw you, no doubt about it. They can fire you for grievous infringements, like smacking a student upside the head. Being late for sickness at the 11th month? They just forgot to get rid of you last month during the holidays and trying to do this the last minute. Don't you have any vacation time you can claim for those sick days?

Good luck anyway and sorry to hear about your troubles.

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

Labor Board. That is all you the advice you need since you are staying in country anyway.

The only way to know for sure is to go to the labor board and ANYBODY fired in their 10th or 11th month should go to the labor board about it. I don't care if you had the flu and missed a week of classes.

cobbles · Joined: 23 Dec 2010

Skippy · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon

Don't sign! Signing means you agree to the dimissal.

cobbles · Joined: 23 Dec 2010

wishfullthinkng · Joined: 05 Mar 2010

soyoungmikey · Joined: 29 Jun 2009

OP,

Go to the labor board and bone up on the labor law. The hagwon is trying to do something shady.

On the other hand, misreading your schedule is very unprofessional to say the least. There is no excuse to 30mins of class for this. And if you are going to a dentist why didn't you inform your employer? Not in the contract, sure, but still common courtesy.

Reggie · Joined: 21 Sep 2009

OP,

We're you ever asked to cover classes at the last minute? I'm always having to cover classes because of Korean teachers having meetings, and sometimes I don't even know their classes don't have a teacher until students wander into the teachers lounge and ask where their teacher is, only to find out he or she is in a room having a meeting. So I teach the class. Usually I'm informed in advance, anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours, but not always. Has this ever happened at your school?

Skippy · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

Korea are sticklers about going to work. My wife could cough up a lung, and she's stick it in her bag and go to work.

However, Korean workers are better protected than they are in the US. If you miss work without telling them, they might wangta you. They might pay you back by annoying you or giving you menial jobs to try to humiliate you. They don't just fire you.

This is clearly an end of contract issue. They certainly wouldn't have fired him 3 or 6 months into his contract. They wouldn't have wanted to pay the money to bring in another teacher and cover his classes while looking for a new one....

This is a clear labor board issue.

They will give the definitive answer...

ewlandon · Joined: 30 Jan 2011 Location: teacher

seems like your contract says they can fire you if you miss two classes, and you missed two classes.

Also your friend was out for a month, not surprised that they couldnt keep him.

It sucks that its just 8 days before you get your severance but your contract says if you miss 2 classes or get two warning letters, both things happened. I'd fight it though cause it looks like 11 hour firing and you arent leaving the country.

bobbybigfoot · Joined: 05 May 2007 Location: Seoul

I could see them docking your pay, not wanting to re-sign you, but taking a month's severance, nah, that's BS my friend.

Head to the Labor Board.

And let the community here know the name of this company.

Skippy · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon

Yes, Koreans can be stickler about certain practices. Like the sickness one and sick days. I know and understand it and I go along with it. Play the game.

But the OPs situation is a complete crock. He made some (TWO) simple mistakes and is being railroaded. They are giving crap excuses to save some money.

I was once fired about 2 weeks before end of contract. No real reason, it was done because the school wanted more time from me. I hemmed and hawed about renewing. In the end I renewed for another six months. Labour board was very little help. Still the best course of action still.

My ex-GF was let go from a uni. Reason given because she missed one day of classes because bus driver took her to the wrong airport in another country. Never mind I covered the classes. Also ignoring the other expat teacher who had missed for being sick more times then exGF. Another reason her accent was too strong. Not really, also ignoring the South African with a comparable accent, also not very strong. My point is a place if they want too can come up with any excuse to let some one go.

I say play the game and learn the politics, but still in the end it may all be for naught.

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

The contract can't nullify the law. And there might not be a specific law for this - though there might be - but that is why they have a labor board.

Docking someone with unpaid leave for missing a class is one thing. Docking them a month's pay (severance) is another.

I think he has a fair shot with the labor board regardless of what the contract says. Again, Korea, at least for the Koreans, is not labor un-friendly.

The timing is what will likely be noted. Again, if he'd been fired 4 months in for missing 2 classes, he'd have no case for keeping his job or perhaps having to pay back airfare and so on. But, 10 or 11 months in? Looks too much like a typical bad hakwon move....

cobbles · Joined: 23 Dec 2010

Wow Some good support here, thanks.

I cant believe im in this situation after causing no for a whole year.

My supervisor is.now fuming and wants me to sign the letter of dismissal by 10pm tonight.

In the labor standards act hagwons must give you thirty days before your dismissal date or pay you the cash.for those days.

So i rewrote the letter of dismissal including cash for the 18days they should pay.

Question. if i sign a letter of dismissal does this mean i cant file a complaint at the labor board?

Can the labor board recoup the flight ticket? Probably not.

Might be having a sit down with the president. I am considering recording the conversation, good idea?