Korean Job Discussion Forums

[larry72]

I really don't know where to start with this.

So the hagwon I currently work at isn't the best. Long hours, old textbooks, run down workplace, and generally a very negative work environment. Add to this a high turnover rate of Korean teachers and director that has failed to pay severance to the last few native teachers. Google brings up multiple poor reviews.

One of the four natives left this past weekend. Two more wish to leave on pay day in the not to distant future.

My predicament is that I'm keen to spend another year here teaching and saving cash. I'll have done ten months at this school but if I join them in their runner my reference or chance of any good words that could come from co-workers is gone.

Its too late to give notice and leave on my own terms. The likely salary deductions would make that a stupid decision anyway.

Perhaps I'm better to hold tight and play dumb when the other two leave? The schools likely to close so maybe it would look better if I had to leave rather than chose to...

Unsure whats best right now and struggling with friends for advice, any help would be really appreciated!

Larry

[bmaw01]

You have only two months left?

I would stay. I think that's a no brainer. Where would you go if you left today? You need to think about the pros and cons to leaving.

Are you going to get your severance pay if you stay the full year? If your boss has a history of not paying severance pay, then the answer is probably no. Then again, you may get lucky. How is your relationship with your boss?

Anyway, I wouldn't stay another year. That's suicide. Start looking at your options and start putting your resume out there. The plus is you're in South Korea.

Good luck.

[Chaparrastique]

Unity is strength.

Its hard to overestimate the power of all the foreign staff acting together in unison. I led a factory strike once. You can absolutely force positive change.
I suggest you stop work until your boss lives up to his contractual obligations.

But too often there's one person who wimps out. Korean management counts on being able to intimidate, to divide and conquer.

[pmwhittier]

If you stay and complete the contract, several things can happen:

If the school closes, you can get a D10 visa (with or without a release letter from them, Immi can grant a D10 if the reason for unemployment is out of your control) and then stay in country and look for work.

If you finish the whole year, you will be entitled to your severance. Doesn't mean that you'll get it, but you at least have a legal standing to fight for it with the Labor Board.

If you leave:

You would need to start over. New documents, go back to your home country and wait. Unless you've been diligent and already have NEW documents waiting.

And even if NEW documents are in your possession,

If you pull a runner, you more than likely will have to wait until the expiration date shown on your ARC passes before starting a new job.


Finally: Don't worry about them giving you a bad reference. Most schools give a bad reference anyway, because your leaving makes them think that you're personally attacking them. Funny how that seems to work over here. Just alert whichever school / recruiter that your current school is sad to see you leave and is giving poor reviews because of it. If you interview well and you are talking with anyone worth working for, they will know and understand this situation.

Good luck. I know this situation and I am so thankful to be out of it.

[Porksta]

You can leave at any time you want. You do not have to give notice. I do not know of anything they can deduct from your paycheck for doing so.

[larry72]

[ippy]

Just on the point above about solidarity. It works IF you all stay and put down your demands. If you all leave, it helps you not one jot.

But if YOU stay and they leave, then it helps you quite a lot.

First up, your boss is going to need you to carry some weight here. You show that you can do that and you hit the 11 month watermark where any firing is extraordinarily suspicious (and your boss probably has previous). If theres airfare and severance on your contract, youll get it because theres no way in hell your boss is going to risk losing all their teachers at once. And if they are, well, a quick threat of the labour board on his ass will have him at least willing to give you the minimum (release letter and salary) to keep you shtum. Which, on balance beats the pay plus new documents plus visa run and fleeing in the dead of night. If its an 11 month firing and he does have previous, youll be getting the rest of what youre owed.

Your boss is clearly an ass with previous. And it would pain me to help him prop up his company, but truth is, if youre saying youd sooner work there for another year than switch schools and go job hunting, then clearly life isnt that bad that you cant hold out for 2 more months. Just make yourself available for a little extra work to help out and boom! invaluable employee. By the time he has his replacements, youll be at month 12, ave earned a bit of trust in his eyes and you might even get a better deal in any new contract negotiations. At the worst, youll leave with a decent reference for at least trying to pull him out of the hole he created and all your benefits (even if you have to threaten him with action - and why wouldnt you? Hes going to be struggling to keep students, the last thing he needs is more crap to deal with).

Your call though. You know the dude more than any of us. But once you hit 11 months, the firings become very questionable. And given he lost two employees (or is about to), this couldnt work out better for you to be honest. Why youd join them and lose money to prove a point is beyond me when its obvious that their actions benefit you enormously.

[larry72]

[ippy]

Ah, when you say 'here' you just mean Korea then and not your current place of employment.

Just stick it out for two months. You got this far. Once you hit month 11 any attempt to screw you means labour board. He wont be needing that while he's relying on you to cover classes to keep students. Cover his ass, get a nice reference. Get your severance and everything thats due. Then move on (and take him to the labour board whilst starting up your next gig if he tries anything). Your colleagues are doing you a favour pulling a runner so close to your end date. It gives him a crap load to deal with right at the time he might be considering working through his plan of screwing you over. No time for planning when hes having to find three new teachers at incredibly short notice! Hours need to be covered somehow or he loses students!

[EZE]

The time I pulled a runner, an Australian guy had already pulled one on Monday. I had been thinking about it myself, due to the hagwon, Wonderland, taking way too much out of my pay, moving me into a dumpster, etc. When the Australian left, they were even more hostile since he was a foreigner and so was I. I'm from the USA, but it didn't matter that he and I were two different people and from two different countries, we were seen as clones since he was a foreigner and so was I. I flew home on Wednesday in the 8th month of my contract. I don't regret it.

If they don't want teachers to quit, they could at least fulfill their contractual obligations. It's on them, not you. Don't worry about references. I'm in my 3rd year at my current hagwon and didn't need a reference. I was hired within 24 hours of landing in Korea.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[Cave Dweller]

This person may give you a negative reference, no matter what. When the other teachers do a runner, do not, under any circumstances, let them know that you knew anything about it.

Also, you may suffer due to this. They may try to combine classes on you, having 20-30 in one class. Also, if you had any break in your day, you will no longer have one.

Log your hours, class changes, etc. If you are screwed out of your severance, you need more ammunition to go after them. Unfortunately, dealing with the labour board is about as effective as dealing with the UN, so I have heard.

[Stan Rogers]

[tophatcat]

[LPKSA]

[larry72]