Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Derrek]

I would suggest you all avoid working for a camp at Brighton / Briton school in Bundang, Gumi-Dong.

Why?

Because they sent me to Omogkyo with all paperwork to do their camp, but then called and cancelled everything, literally as I was standing in line at immigration for approval.

Here's the rest of the story...

This week, a personal friend at a recruiting site in my area got me a position with their camp, which begins next week. I didn't even have an interview. I suppose, based on my friend's knowledge of me, and the fact that they needed a teacher immediately, an interview wasn't needed.

Because I like to do things legally, given all of the immigration raids these days, I requested (through my recruiter friend) that they speak with my boss about getting approval. My boss did this for a camp last year, and I knew it would probably be fine this year. Brighton was reluctant to do this, according to my coworker. Some discussion was had where Brighton requested that I just "work there" with verbal approval from the school.

My boss/advisor knows better, as do I. He stated that he was sure I'd need an approval letter from the school, as well as immigration approval. Unknown to me, there were some "words" of debate between my school and Brighton regarding working hours of their camp. Some of their camp hours finished around 2pm, while next week only, my high school's camp begins at 2pm. Verbally, they would agree to letting me go at 1:20, but according to my boss, Brighton was not interested in sending a signed paper stating that they would let me leave at 1:20. I figured this all out when the approval paper from my school stated fewer hours than those of the camp. I had to call my co-workers, who were on an M.T. vacation trip to a mountain, in order to get the paper changed by another teacher at my school (before I went to immigration). That is when my director informed me that there had been some issue over the camp's hours and what Brighton would agree to put in writing.

Oddly, this didn't bother me (I knew I'd leave at 1:20pm no matter what Brighton said) but it DID bother my Korean boss/advisor in some Korean way. It bothered him enough to say, "We will approve this camp for you, however, I did not get a good feeling about this school." In essence, he went on to warn me that he did not trust whomever the Korean was from Brighton he'd been speaking with.

So I made about 10 phone calls back-and-forth to get my school to have this one teacher left in the office to change their paperwork to allow for the full camp hours. I know I was a huge burden, and a bother, for putting my co-workers through all of this. I felt REALLY bad, and apologized to everyone several times, while giving an earful to my poor recruiter friend, who was my go-between with Brighton.

An hour later, my school printed out a new agreement, and I was off to pick up the Brighton approval papers from my recruiter friend. I got all of that, along with my passport, etc., and headed down for the near 2-hour trip to immigration in Omogkyo, Seoul.

I got there, took a number, filled out the forms, and bought my stamps. Thank goodness I hadn't glued them on yet, because I got a call from my recruiter friend that Brighton had decided, at the last minute, to cancel their job offer.

I was pissed. My recruiter-friend was too. My recruiter friend was so angry that she demanded Brighton pay me 300,000 won for my troubles. I couldn't believe that, but that's what she did, and they agreed to it. For 10 minutes, that is. Then, they called back and cancelled.

I theorized that Brighton must have some illegal workers, and are afraid to tip immigration off to their camp in any way, shape, or form -- legal or not. If they found someone else to hire, then there is no way they could get the legal paperwork to start the camp on Monday, so in essence, they are/will have illegal workers at the school. More on that later.

SO there I was, standing at immigration (luckily, they refunded my 70,000 won in stamps because I hadn't glued them yet). While on the phone, I made the angry remark to my recruiter-friend that I am just a few steps away from the area where I could "rat" on Brighton and send the immigration boys to their front door for a little E-2 checking in the very near-future.

This must have gotten back to Brighton, because they suddenly called my friend AGAIN a few minutes later, asking, "300,000 won is too much. How about 100,000 won? What does he feel he should be payed for his trouble?"

Not to be one who invites bribery (or opportunities for hagwon directors to accuse me of such and deport me) I simply told my friend, "If they want to give me something for my trouble, that's up to them. I'm not asking for anything. But I am upset that I put you and my school through all of this trouble. I am also upset that I wasted a whole day on this, and I am still standing here in the immigration office."

A few minutes later came the call from my friend, "They decided to pay you the full 300,000 won. What is your bank and account number?"

I laughed at this, and said, "I don't want ANY of it. Have it all transferred into your account, and YOU keep it. You can take me to dinner if you want, but I don't want it."

My friend didn't want it, and we argued about who would keep the money. I said, "Fine, we'll have it wired to my boss for all of the trouble we've caused over this. Then, maybe, they won't be disgusted with approving all of this for nothing."

I did relish the thought of having the idiots at Brighton pay for their stupid, assinine behavior, and for wasting so much of my time.

Then, you guessed it -- another 10 minutes later, and Brighton pulled back all offers of money, citing that I never worked for them, so they had no reason to pay me anything. Fine, whatever -- I never said they had to.

Now, to the teachers at Brighton, Gumi-Dong, Bundang:

If you work at Brighton, as with any school -- camp or otherwise -- you'd better be damn sure you've got a legal E-2, because you might well have some immigration visitors in the near future. With all of the immigration folks checking for camps these days --- well, you catch my drift. Could be during your camp. Could be after. Are you getting this?

I'm not making any threats here. I don't want any pay-offs from your boss. I'm simply stating Korean law: You need to have an E-2 to work legally at a school. Get legal now, or stop working there until you are.

If you know any illegal teachers at any camps where they want you to work illegally, such as this, you'd better tell them to get legal FAST. That's all I'm going to say, and I don't know how to say it any more clearly than that.

[chronicpride]

Before anyone gets a chance to sneak in before me and say it, it sounds like you've been Derrek'd.

[Derrek]

[sadsac]

Good on you! What a complete waste of time and energy. Keep the faith though. It sounds like your recruiter friend was definitely going to bat for you. Full marks too them.

[inkoreaforgood]

I hope that all teacher working these summer camp do realise that this summer, more than in previous summers, Immigration is probably going to come down hard on these camps. HINT Tis' the summer to keep your nose clean.

[tzechuk]

Wow.. I would have raised hell!!

Go tell on them... they deserve it.

[Derrek]

Well, I didn't. I really wanted to, but I think it's not fair for me to do that to the teachers there. I hate to have them pay for the stupidity of their boss.

[Wangja]

Damn, Derrek, you must truly love it here: all these things happen to you yet you stay.

[Derrek]

[Bulsajo]

[Derrek]

Oh geeze....

They called me to apologize and ask if I went through with the paperwork anyway, since I was there (even though they'd called and cancelled as I was waiting in line). They again want me to do the camp, and pretty much begged me to reconsider.

I said no.

[sarahsarah]

My previous school was just down the street from Brighton in Gumi-dong and I met several of their teachers. They complained a lot. A lot of non-payment issues too as I recall.

[chiaa]

I do not teach anymore so I really do not care all that much. But, those who are legal teachers here should rat out any and all of these camps and schools that have illegals working.

Ultimately, these illegals bring your salary down. Simple case of supply and demand.

[livinginkorea]

Wow what a story. Looks like they caused you a load of trouble and work. Good thing that they didn't give you the money 'cas that could have backfired on you. If that school got caught in the future the money might have been traced back to you.

One thing for sure - you have some life here in Korea!!!