Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Shenanigans17]

Hi all. I've been working at a Hagwon for the past few months. My director has 2 floors of a building for her school. She converted part of the 2nd floor to function as a living area. A classroom was converted into a bedroom, and there is a kitchen and bathroom across the hall. That's where I live. It's an interesting situation, but there are 2 main issues I need advice on.

1. My utility bills are sky high compared to my other teacher friends. When I asked about this, my director told me she is charging me for the entire floors electricity and water (which includes other classrooms, plus the teachers and cleaning people use water daily from my kitchen for cleaning school reasons). She said this is how it must be because she can't separate my utility usage from the entire floor. Is this legal? Is she not literally telling me I'm being forced to pay for school utilities?

2. Also, my area is not at all private. I'm told I must leave my door unlocked everyday, and also on weekends even if I go away for the weekend. I'm not allowed to use my bathroom or kitchen if the teachers or cleaners are using it, which is every day or weekly for several hours at a time. So the director, teachers, or cleaners can get into my area for school purposes. Basically I'm not allowed to lock up my room/belongings, ever. Only sometimes at night when the teachers and cleaners are not there.

I've begun to try and fix these problems as best I can but I'd love any advice on what is totally legal or illegal on her part. South Korea is very unlike America so I'm not sure how to raise my concerns, or who to raise them to.

I'm happy with the job itself, but the living situation is frustrating. Is it acceptable to ask to move? Or for a housing allowance in place of finding a new place on her part? Thanks for any advice you have

[Unposter]

1. It is perfectly okay to complain about your housing situation in Korea.

2. Personally, I would be very upset if I had your housing situation, especially paying utility fees for other people (your school).

3. If you do not stand up for yourself in Korea, people will take advantage of you.

4. But, there is a good chance that if you stand up for yourself your director she will get upset with you and look for reasons to complain about you.

5. This is part of the "adventure" of English teaching in Korea.

6. There is no magic answer here. How you handle this situation will determine your year in Korea and possibly beyond.

7. Good luck and keep us informed of what happens.

[Unposter]

1. It is perfectly okay to complain about your housing situation in Korea.

2. Personally, I would be very upset if I had your housing situation, especially paying utility fees for other people (your school).

3. If you do not stand up for yourself in Korea, people will take advantage of you.

4. But, there is a good chance that if you stand up for yourself your director she will get upset with you and look for reasons to complain about you.

5. This is part of the "adventure" of English teaching in Korea.

6. There is no magic answer here. How you handle this situation will determine your year in Korea and possibly beyond.

7. Good luck and keep us informed of what happens.

[Weigookin74]

[Weigookin74]

[The Sultan of Seoul]

Do not agreee to this crud.

Although in 3,2,1, a few psoters will be along to tell you how it's all YOUR FAULT and you should accept it and be greatful to be living in paradise etc...

I would agree to ONLY pay half of the utilities, plain and simple. Also that when I am NOT in the living area, the bedroom at least remains locked and only I have the key.

'No you can't do that.'

'Okay, then I can't come into work next week either. Bye.'

Either that or I'd give notice if contractually only a month was required. 2 months - I'd midnight run and get another job. No way I'd roll the dice on working for two months and not getting paid for it.

These standards are not usual in Korea and you can find better.

[Steelrails]

Remember, many Koreans live in the same place as where they work and even convert their workplace into their living space after their work closes, so the owner may not recognize how distressing your situation is.

The best advice I can give is to make it clear how unacceptable the situation is. No reason you should have to live like that, especially when it comes to the bills.

[Shenanigans17]

I know I should up and leave all considered, but I want to remain in this area, with this job. I just want proper pay, as I was promised in my contract, as well as really any apartment as long as it's secure and private, which was also listed in my contract.

If she continues to not show me my salary breakdown or bills, would it be best to contact something like the Korean labor board? Is it the director's responsibility to help with accommodation changes and provide financial documentation if requested?

On a side note if it all goes bad, is it acceptable to apply to other schools in the area, while I still have my current job without a clear end date in place(I'd tell my director 2 months up front about ending early, as stated in my contract)? So if and when this job ends I'll have another one lined up? Thanks again guys.

[Skippy]

Your situation is a bit abnormal. I could put up with some of it. But with any job there has to be some negotiation.

You paying for the entire floor bills - not fair. You are not the primary users. Once again negotiate with school. I would get them to reduce by half or even more. Heck if I was the school I would throw the bills in for free.

Once again privacy. That is complete wrong. I can understand some access to the kitchen for cleaning. Still at the least the school should be offering to put locks on the door. For zippy sake a couple of door locks and learning to use a key is not that hard. You have a right to have some security.

Still in the end I would move or quit the job. That is a little too much.

[Troglodyte]

I wouldn't bother putting too much effort into negotiations. Any employer who would do something like this is VERY like cutting other corners and short changing you, lying to you, and probably breaking several laws. You can negotiate with them, but it doesn't mean that you can trust them to do what they promise. For now, get your documents in order in case you need to do a visa run for a new job then go to the labor board to report the school and to ask what your options are. I'm not sure what your contract says, but if it says you get an apartment then you're not receiving what you're contract says. If the boss is taking the utilities bills from your salary, then they're making illegal deductions (aside from the fact that they're stealing your electricity). They are probably also breaking other rules that you don't even know about.

If they can't do anything to get you a D10 or transfer, then you need to simply quit. Unless you are in a really rural area, I'm sure that there are other schools in your area that are hiring. Getting another job in the same town/neighborhood shouldn't be a problem.


The signs are there, man. This is just a disaster waiting to happen. If you stick around, they WILL screw you over. If it was me, I'd make a point of using the bathroom, shower and kitchen while the workers are around. If enough people see you walking around YOUR apartment, YOUR kitchen, YOUR living room in your y-fronts or a towel, it will make a statement. If you're quitting anyway (you SHOULD be quitting), it's a statement worth making.

If you really want to put a exclamation mark at the end of your statement, be sure to eat lots of curry and Thai food. Any of the workers who have to use YOUR bathroom will be sure to pass along your statement to the boss.



What I wonder though, is whether it's even legal to have you living in the school. Yes yes. I know that people do it all the time. Is it legal though? I know that people used to rent officetels because they were initially considered a business place and thus received cheaper utilities fees (or maybe it was just for electricity). It became so common that the government stopped supporting the electric bills. If a school has you living in the actual school, using the same electricity and water as the school then would it cause some problems for the owner as far as taxes and subsidies go? Can you mix residential and commercial usage of the same space?

[Skipperoo]

Sounds mental. Get out.

[ontheway]

To clarify some comments from above:

It is perfectly legal for your boss to deduct your utility payments from your monthly pay as long as you have agreed to it either by including it in your contract directly or as a separate agreement later.

However, the OP is not having his own bills deducted but is being forced to pay for part of the school's utility bills. This is a rip off, and stupid since the school is saving in the area of 400k won rent per month plus avoiding the need for a large deposit on the apartment they should be providing. If the OP was allowed his own door lock and given free utilities, he might have accepted or at least quietly tolerated this arrangement.

As to mixed-use buildings: some are legal and some are not. There are buildings that are almost totally restricted to residential use, buildings where residential use is prohibited and buildings that allow residential use in some parts, and businesses, schools etc in other parts - even on the same floor. It is possible to have a legal residence across the hall from a legal hogwan in some locations. We cannot guess. However, the OP could check with the local city hall. It really doesn't matter - the OP needs to decide his course of action.


This is another case where the OP needs to stand up for himself. I would insist on getting housing as promised in the contract and demand to have the utility money refunded. Don't waste time on what is legal etc, insist on what you've been promised and are not getting. Be strong, polite, firm and give a reasonable but firm time deadline - it takes time to find a place and move.

For example: "I was promised my own housing in my contract. I know it is costly and takes some time, but I cannot live and work under these conditions. I will be happy to help you look for a suitable place, but if I don't have my own place to live in by May 20th, I'm sorry, but I will not be able to teach here on the 21st. I can't live like this anymore, and I can't work while living under these conditions."

In addition, I would install my own door lock immediately and keep the key for my own room. I wouldn't wait and I wouldn't ask first. But that's just me. When asked, I would say that I need that or I can't live here another minute.


Living in the school ...
Changing diapers ...

Just say "no!"

[asdfghjkl]

I found myself in a similar situation once and quit. It was really easy to find another job locally; the person who interviewed me at my next job even knew the school owner and that he was a sleezebag. Like somebody else said, get started on your visa documents and prepare to quit.

Maybe you can sort things out, but it's best to have everything ready if you need to quit.

I had the same issue with the utilities, too. I would try to sort that out before quitting if you do because in my case, the owner said I owed like $352464643643643 in utilities on my last day as justification to not pay me in full. If you take care of that issue in advance, they will have one less avenue to scam you out of money.

[pegasus64128]

[tausha12]

This isn't right at all. Definitely stand up for yourself. It's ridiculuous you are paying all the utilities. And not being to lock up your own personal belongings, no I wouldn't go along with that.

Do what someone suggested and try to work with your school. Tell them that you want your own private space and that they need to meet it by a certain point. If they don't, look for another job. There will be tons in your area since you're already in the country.

I'm sorry you're in this situation.