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How do I negotiate out of my contract?
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kangnamdragon

Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2005 11:01 pm Post subject:

tzechuk wrote:

Find him a replacement teacher that is VERY Korean-like before you go will most certainly ease things over.

I'll do it if you offer me 4 million per month.

TheUrbanMyth

Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 4:25 am Post subject:

Grotto wrote:

right...pay back the recruiter fee Rolling Eyes

Quote:

How does lying help you to become a better person? Finish your job as you promised. If not, pay back the airfare and recruiting fee.

He is not asking how to become a better person! He has a job he apparently doesnt like, has a better offer waiting why the hell would he want to stick it out for another 8 months?

Pay back airfare? Okay sure. Pay recruiter fee? Not a snowballs chance in hell!

So it's okay for him to break the contract, but not for the owner? It's teachers like this that make hakwon owners unreasonable and then they starting putting all kinds of restrictions into the contracts. If this happens enough times, contracts are going to only get worse and more restrictive.

phaedrus

Joined: 13 Nov 2003
Location: I'm comin' to get ya.

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:00 am Post subject:

TheUrbanMyth wrote:

Grotto wrote:

right...pay back the recruiter fee Rolling Eyes

Quote:

How does lying help you to become a better person? Finish your job as you promised. If not, pay back the airfare and recruiting fee.

So it's okay for him to break the contract, but not for the owner?

Schools can fire you, and they should give 30 days notice. I think thirty days notice to the school is fair if you want to quit.

It is not in the school's interests to keep someone who wishes to leave, even if a year long contract has been signed. It is not in a person's interests to stay at a school that wants to fire them.

Drakoi

Joined: 26 Sep 2003
Location: The World

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:01 am Post subject:

tzechuk wrote:

Find him a replacement teacher that is VERY Korean-like before you go will most certainly ease things over.

2nd-ed

also, ask for understanding from him. it gives hime face by acting generous. puts in a higher position. try to be cooperative

Badmojo

Joined: 07 Mar 2004
Location: I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:04 am Post subject:

TheUrbanMyth wrote:

Grotto wrote:

right...pay back the recruiter fee Rolling Eyes

Quote:

How does lying help you to become a better person? Finish your job as you promised. If not, pay back the airfare and recruiting fee.

I don't think he's breaking the contract if he's giving notice.

There are out clauses in contracts for these situations.

Teachers saying we can never quit also means owners saying we can never fire you.

It doesn't work like that.

Again, I would tell him the truth.

TheUrbanMyth

Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:08 am Post subject:

phaedrus wrote:

TheUrbanMyth wrote:

Grotto wrote:

right...pay back the recruiter fee Rolling Eyes

Quote:

How does lying help you to become a better person? Finish your job as you promised. If not, pay back the airfare and recruiting fee.

So it's okay for him to break the contract, but not for the owner?

There are legitimate reasons for wanting to leave. Simply going for a better job is not one of them. Try that one at Immigration.

What about if a better university job opens up? Will he jump ship too and go there? That's why we have contracts, we agreed to do a certain job. Nowhere in the standard contract does it say "I agree to work here...until I find a better job." Anyway this just makes things harder for the teachers who work here as as these things happen more and more, the contracts will become more and more restrictive.

I think he should just tell the truth and face the music. The guy hired him for a year, expecting him to finish the contract. If he were not getting paid, or something along those lines I could see it. If you think that going for a better job is okay, how about if the university promises to hire him and then at the last minute tells him "sorry we found a better qualified person"? Would you be okay with that too? That is basically what the teacher is doing to the boss.

iiicalypso

Joined: 13 Aug 2003
Location: is everything

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:11 am Post subject:

TheUrbanMyth wrote:

There is a big difference, at least in my mind, between breaking a contract and getting out of a contract. Even the flimsiest of contracts has a way to get out, and I am simply exercising it. No midnight run, no badmouthing my school. Simply put, I found a better opportunity elsewhere, and I am going to try it. This is no different from what anybody else in any coutry would do.

My problem is simply that I am trying to leave on good terms so that my old school does not try and create a problem. I agree that it isn't right to leave an employer high and dry (although I wish that my two previous employers had been that respectful towards me). I am simply interested in advice on how to better discuss the situation with my boss. In the past I have had problems dealing with my Korean bosses simply because I think of things in a completely different way. I think that if I can try and learn from other people's experiences and my own mistakes I can find a better solution.

But please don't sit here and blame me for every mistake or problem that every teacher in Korea ever has. I have done far more than was required of me at my job, and I simply want to try something different.

As it turns out I had a conversation today with my boss, and he was reasonable about things, although we haven't reached any settlement yet. I have offered to help him, even offering to work for a few Saturdays to help things along, and he said that he understood my desire to try and improve myslef. Whether it will continue to be this friendly, I don't know, but I am hopeful.

So thank you to all of those with legitimate suggestions, and a hair in your soup to those of you who just feel like ripping into someone.

Barking Mad Lord Snapcase

Joined: 04 Nov 2003

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 6:12 am Post subject:

osangrl wrote:

Is this your first year in Korea?

No offense but if it is, i hope your boss is hotheaded.... charges you for airfare etc.

Im a firm believer that first timers need to put in their time.

Sorry.

If this is what an extended stay in Korea does to your opinion of free will, then I would probably encourage first timers to run.

It is clear from your second line that you believe the OP should be punished for coming to Korea in the first place. I mean, how dare he be such a burden to his hagwon owner! Rolling Eyes

Sage Monkey

Joined: 01 Nov 2004

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 6:32 am Post subject:

Drakoi wrote:

tzechuk wrote:

Find him a replacement teacher that is VERY Korean-like before you go will most certainly ease things over.

2nd-ed

also, ask for understanding from him. it gives hime face by acting generous. puts in a higher position. try to be cooperative

Play him the way he WILL play you. Always tell your wonjangnim positive things and make them feel peachy about everything and then cover your interests in reality.

What you should do is tell him that you are going to find him a GREAT teacher but instead find him a newbie who looks good on paper but will cause him a huge amount of grief through cultural insensitivity, always pushing his/her rights, and by always starting contractual disputes.

Grotto

Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 6:59 pm Post subject:

If contracts were upheld here in Korea on both sides then you wouldnt have so many crap contracts that violate labour laws left right and center. In three years here I have yet to see a Korean stick to a contract, provide on that is totally 100% legal or be willing to discuss it rationally.

If you are at a job you dont like...leave....its better for yourself, the students and the school in the long run. Spouting crap like:

Quote:

There are legitimate reasons for wanting to leave. Simply going for a better job is not one of them

What would you consider a legitimate reason? Higher pay? More prestege? Better resume? In your career field?

If you are happy with your job you wouldnt be looking for another. If you are looking for another then chances are you are not happy.

Dont worry, be happy Very Happy

Demonicat

Joined: 18 Nov 2004
Location: Suwon

Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 3:18 am Post subject:

Why not just get fired? No discussions, no problems, and you're out. Please see the excellent documentary "office space" for ideas.

TheUrbanMyth

Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired

Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 3:52 am Post subject:

Grotto wrote:

What would you consider a legitimate reason? Higher pay? More prestege? Better resume? In your career field?

It's not what I would consider a legitimate reason to be. It's what Immigration would.

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