Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kimchi4Me]

I'd really love some advice about this situation.
I have been at my school for 10 months now and a few weeks ago I was asked if I was interested in continuing on with them after my contract was up. I told them that I was and that's when things started getting strange.

First, they told me that there were some new rules that said that GEPIK schools can only offer September and March contracts. That's fine but they are saying that because the start date is being pushed back, they can't make a decision on me yet. They are saying that they are required to consider other candidates and do the hiring process all over again. Because of that, I decided to look into other options.

Once I started looking into other options in public schools, the recruiters wanted a letter from my school saying that I had worked there and that I've done what I was contracted to do. First, my co-teacher told me that it was too early for them to provide me with the letter. We went back and forth for weeks about that.

Next, she told me that the Vice Principal did not want to give me a letter at all because I used too many sick days and she felt that I "hadn't adjusted to living in Korea". My co-teacher said that they were not willing to recommend me to other schools because of my sick days. I did use all of my sick days but that was because I was genuinely sick and she knows that because she took me to the doctor each time. It took me a little while to get used to my new surroundings and I have allergies.

Anyway, I told my recruiters that I wouldn't be able to get a letter and one of them asked to speak to my co-teacher. The main co-teacher ( the one who has been handling all of this for me) wasn't there so she spoke to the other co-teacher, who gave her a great report about my work in the school thus far. She also told her that they were actually going to give me a letter of recommendation. The recruiter talked to my other co-teacher the other day and asked her to write the letter but did not specify when she would need it.

Another recruiter has been pressing me for a letter so I asked her to have it for me this week. Last friday, I happened to walk into the room while nobody was there and saw the letter she was writing. The letter that she had written for the person whom I replaced was sitting out and it was long and she had nothing but great things to say. My letter had nothing but two paragraphs about my job description and then it said " For more information, call the school at....." and left the phone number for the school. They have not given me the letter yet and they don't know that I saw it on the computer that day.

As far as I know, their only problem with me was that I took too many sick days. They have never said anything to me or complained to me about anything. But....they never said anything about the sick days until I said that I needed a reference for other jobs either.

I know that some people are saying that public schools don't always check with the other school but do private schools usually do that? I have decided to go ahead with my job search and just see how it all goes but I'm wondering how much this is going to affect me if my current school decides to trash me.

Has anyone else had a situation like this where your school refused to recommend you or only reported negative things to schools that you applied to? Were you able to get another position? What should my next step be?

[ttompatz]

You might want to read the labor standards act.

They are required by law to give you (at your request) a certificate of employment that includes:

start date
end date (or current date if still working)
job description (English teacher)
Employer's (school's) name and address
Employer's stamp.

.

[Kimchi4Me]

[Otherside]

You used all your sick days (it's still 15?) in 10 months.

Unless you were hospitalised, that is seriously frowned upon. In the past, schools used to give their teachers a lot of stick for taking sick days. GEPIK subsequently stepped in, and schools are now "forced" to let their teachers take sick days (that's probably why there wasn't any mention of it earlier). However, it's still seriously frowned upon.

Nobody is going to complain about the teacher who took a sick day or two over a year, but when someone (without just cause - i.e. hospitalisation) is taking on average, 1 or 2 days off per month, it's going to look bad. Having a cold, allergies, or just feeling a bit down, isn't just cause, especially when you've already used a good chunk of your sickdays.

Judgement over. You mentioned that your other co-teacher spoke favourably about you to your recruiter. I'd recommend getting her number and using her as a reference. You can use the official letter for the documentation, but try push recruiters (who have an incentive to get you hired) to call the 2nd teacher.

[Kimchi4Me]

[YTMND]

Get a summer camp job, don't be sick if you can help it, and get a letter from them in July. You can easily do a June, July, August camp.

[ThingsComeAround]

Did the complaining co-t and you have any other problems? Although you had an excessive number of sick days (yes- 2/3rds are excessive) usually if they ask you to stay its because they like you. Something happened where they are "looking into" other candidates- could be for money (no raise) or someone has it in for you.

All the school is supposed to do is write up the dates you worked there on an official school letterhead. They aren't supposed to ruin your chance of getting work by giving their opinion of you to the next school. Good luck.

[Kimchi4Me]

[ThingsComeAround]

[therockery]

I hoped this worked out for you.