Korean Job Discussion Forums

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Get a list of the parents' numbers and a bi-lingual Korean friend. Then you've got a gun you can put to their heads.

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

The recruiter is on their side.

Thanks for the info. All help is much appreciated.
Oh, and if anyone does work at my school and sees this- the lack of pension and health insurance info is going to be reported- as long as they keep messing with me. That's a promise.

ChopChaeJoe · Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: Seoul

I just can't believe that some people let themselves be put through this kind of thing. Just don't teach. Don't come to work. You aren'tdealing with honorable people. You have no responsibilities to them. the contract has been broken. What are you afraid of?

joyfulgirl · Joined: 05 Jan 2006

i went to work, but didn't teach much, in depression and anger. so, they've decided i'm a 'bad teacher' and have fired me. or so they've told my co-workers, not me. which is lovely in itself. so, looking for ways to keep myself together and ways to get out of this bloody place. i had such lovely times here. shame to leave this way.

i'm a lover, not a fighter...i dunno what to do with these people. i am overwhelmed. i desperately need the money they owe me.

ChopChaeJoe · Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: Seoul

I think your mistake was going to school at all. If they don't pay you, you don't work. You shouldn't do a bad job because they didn't pay you; your work should always reflect the best that you can do.

I had some pay problems with my school (who hasn't) and I did my absolute best every day that the struggle went on. Finally I said that I would not be coming back -- ever. I made sure that the Korean teachers knew that it was not something that I wanted, but that I simply could not tolerate not being paid for my work. They well knew that my work is excellent.

The runaway director was summoned from the depths of hell and the money magically appeared in my bank account, the same money that the director claimed she didn't have. Funny about that.

But keep your head up. Korea isn't a concentration camp. Something good will come of this.

But don't do any more teaching there! Please.

sadsac · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: Gwangwang

It's tough! You read posts such as this and you understand why so many just pack up and leave. We do what we believe to be the honourable thing, submit a letter of resignation and then are subjected to abuse. There are a lot of good people out there, but unfortunately they are often over shadowed by the mongrels. As I have stated before, in 6 years here I have never provided a letter of release to immigration when applying for a new position. Wylie, it hasn't been easy and you've copped a lot of s#*t, but you leave with your dignity intact. That may not be worth much monetarily, but personally it's worth millions. As other posted have suggested, be passive in your resistance most Koreans don't know how to deal with that. If push comes to shove make a list of people that you are going to report them to and what other steps you are going to take to ensure that they get their just deserts. Best of luck. Smile

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

My family is contacting our US Senators. Can that help, at all?

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Since your bosses aren't subject to US law, so probably not. The US embassy also doesn't generally get involved in this sort of case. You'll need to handle this with Korean contacts and according to Korean law.

If I were you, I'd hold a one-man sit-down strike. Show up for work, but tell the boss you aren't there to teach, and park your ass in the teachers' room until you have your pay. And I mean all of it.

They might yell and scream, but hold your ground and keep your calm.

No pay, no work.

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

Thanks. I now have two lawyers helping me, thanks to this board. Things are still very tough (they keep piling OT on me, and, "BTW, tomorrow you move to a different apartment"- I was told that last night), but there's "light at the end of the tunnel."

Octavius Hite · Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 5:35 pm Post subject:

Guys, pay is two weeks late? If mine is 1 day late I don't go to work. I have been payed late 1 time in Korea and it never happened again. We have to put our foot down, its not like they can send you to the DPRK if you fight, just say I won't be in until this is fixed, screw em. You have a passport go back. I really feel for you because so many of my friends have fought this battle but stand up and don't take it, the worst is you go home and become a sandwich artist for a little while.

Public school, public school, public school, public school!

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

First, they withheld my FIRST check- I had nothing. Almost all of my second check went back because my student loan was 3 months behind.

There's been lots of other stuff, too (working on a Korean holiday, etc...)- but the lack of pension and health insurance is illegal. The lawyers have filled me in on my rights and what to do about this obviously broken contract- broken in many, many places.

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

2 weeks is too long. If they have a regular pay day, as specified in the contract, then they should be able to stick to that. One or two days may be acceptable if the payday falls on a weekend I suppose, but 2 weeks...............?

I don't think so Tim.

That's just opening the door to abuse.

wowser · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Location: Kyonggi do

So, update please, how's it going?