Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SpedEd]

Hello people:

The name's Eddy; please take a moment to hear my story and subsequent questions.
I worked for a disreputable (read crappy) employer in Korea for several months. I showed up everyday for work and put up with some abuse from management. I informed management that I wasn't putting up with it and gave them my notice. They siphoned the full roundtrip airfare costs and illegally took the recruiter's fee in the process (it wasn't listed in the contract as my being liable for reimbursing it).
It wasn't easy but I managed to negotiate a letter from the employer that cancelled my visa so that I could reapply in the future to work in Korea. However, today I found out from a recruiter that I was "blacklisted" and they decided to drop me for easier prey. Just what does "blacklisted" mean? I asked for the reasoning, and the recruiter said that the school stated that I left the apartment in a mess, didn't pay the phone bill, and was a bad teacher. All false even considering that I was a new teacher with no training. What can be done to combat this pack of lies? I deserve a second chance like most everyone but how to win a second chance?

[the eye]

If your employer was able to prove the things he claimed you did, you're shit outa luck.

[SpedEd]

No, my employer won't be able to backup their claim. It's mostly my word against theirs. My thoughts are that its too easy for vindictive directors to blacklist teachers by using this tactic. I disagree with you regarding having no other option. I don't want to deal with lawyers, though.

[Demophobe]

Then I think you are out of luck.

[Aussiekimchi]

blacklisted by who?
Immigration?
Other recruiters?
Schools in the area?

You cannot be refused a visa for leaving a messy apartment or not paying a phone bill. So if that is the case, who cares? Find another recruiter or don't use a recruiter at all.
Plenty of schools on worknplay advertise themselves to save on a recruiting fee.
If they have honestly suckered you and done things illegally, call the Ministry of Labour or file a criminal charge against the school. You can drop it all when you get your money back.....but only do this if you are 100% sure you are in the right.
When push comes to shove, if you are really really in the right, a teacher can cause more problems for a school than any boss would like.
Imagine the parents finding out the school director has criminal charges over his head?
It may be a bit extreme, but one of my teachers did it this year and it worked. She got every penny back. Gutsy, but it worked.

[John Henry]

Sheyat, just try a different recruiter. You'll have a job in a week.

[the eye]

If he is indeed blacklisted, the record is being maintained by immigration, not any one recruiter, so i don't see how changing recruiters is going to help.

@SpedEd
You may not think he has proof of any alleged wrongdoings, but he must have. Otherwise, you wouldn't be in this situation....
And i said 'alleged' because he only needs to concoct something juicy, like you damaged his enrollment...then show some numbers, and have immigration eat it up.

[seoulsista]

I'm afraid that if you are black listed with Immigration there's little you can do from outside of Korea. If you were to come here on a tourist visa and go to the immigration office and then make them bring your old boss there and ask him to prove the phone bill, apartment etc. then maybe, but that would be costly and time consuming.

My best advice is blacklist him back and look for jobs in Taiwan.

How long does the blacklisting last? Does anyone know?

[SpedEd]

[Aussiekimchi]

Name the school! Name the school! Name the school!
You don't want the same thing happening to the replacement teacher.
I'll call them. I love fighting with Korean bosses.
Name the school ! Name the school!
Blacklist 'em here so maybe no one ever goes there again.

[ttompatz]

[dcrayne]

actually, I heard that hogwan owners are now creating a blacklist of "bad teachers" for themselves. It has nothing to do with immigration. If I were you, I would apply directly to a school and not use any recuiter. As well, I would probably stay out of Seoul.

[Grotto]

Just dont list that school on your resume!

Apply in a different area for a job..there are so many recruiters and so many different immi departments that if you get out of the area you are in....you shouldnt have any difficulties!

[Angelus]

Why would you settle for speculation? Call immigration and ask. Some hagwon owners are vindictive and will go out of their way to stop teachers from working in Korea.

[SpedEd]