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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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 Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Monday is pay day. I'll fill you in if I get paid and if I get my OT. Seriously doubt it- and the lawyer will take it from tehre. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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BTW, the PM responses have been very telling about this industry. I've had plenty of good responses- with legal advice, but many, many others have contacted me, in an attempt to get me to "just leave, we'll work out the details later."
Tempting? Yes, but I am here legally, and I am working legally.
The school is pretty much treating me like an animal, (there's more to tell- PM me if you want more horror stories), but the lawyers are finally giving me the advice I have needed all along.
Honesty, integrity, and honor are in short supply from what I've seen. |
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rocklee
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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| laogaiguk wrote: |
China was horrid for being payed late.......Still, people shouldn't put up with being payed late easily. |
Sorry to sound like a pain, but "payed"?
Is there such a word? |
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laogaiguk
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea
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| Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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| rocklee wrote: |
| laogaiguk wrote: |
China was horrid for being payed late.......Still, people shouldn't put up with being payed late easily. |
Sorry to sound like a pain, but "payed"?
Is there such a word? |
Yes, there is, but not in the sense of money.
| Quote: |
7 : to slacken (as a rope) and allow to run out -- used with out
intransitive verb |
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/payed
Also, who cares? You could have just PMed him if you wanted to correct him and everybody could do without the sarcasm you put in your post. |
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rocklee
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Don't mean to be sarcastic...I was just...surprised. |
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jacl
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 6:38 am Post subject: |
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| buymybook wrote: |
| joyfulgirl wrote: |
sorry to hear about your crap situatuon, op
my pay is over 2 weeks late at the moment, with no clear word on when i may ever get paid. so i went to the labour board last week, and they were absolutely useless. they just told me i could file a complaint if my pay was 2 MONTHS late.
so frustrating and depressing. |
The person at the Labor Ministry lied to you. Take a tape recorder with you next time and get the person to say the same thing again and then threaten the BASTAR** job if he/she don't help you to the fullest since that is what they get paid to do.
Go with a Korean or ask to speak with the best English speaker there. You must go to the proper Labor Ministry office/location.
Call 1350 on your phone, have ARC card # or passport # ready. Ask the English speaking person to tell you which is the proper office and ask the person to tell you who to see/speak with at that particular office. |
Yeah, really. 
If someone there told me 2 months, I wouldn't be walking away llike a dog with its tail between its legs. Geez. |
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alabamaman
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:04 am Post subject: Hello |
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Can you give us an update up to this point, and how are things going for you in Korea?
alabamaman |
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Roch
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:54 am Post subject: Re: Hello |
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| alabamaman wrote: |
Can you give us an update up to this point, and how are things going for you in Korea?
alabamaman |
Yes, and how did you meet the person who is helping you?
Last edited by Roch on Wed Aug 02, 2006 6:28 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Roch
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:55 am Post subject: Re: Hello |
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[quote="Roch"]
| alabamaman wrote: |
| [i][b]Can you give us an update up to this point, and how are things going for you in Korea |
And did our friend introduce this person to you? |
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DCJames
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:37 pm Post subject: Re: Hogwan hell-Here's what's going on with my problems |
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| wylies99 wrote: |
A few weeks ago I posted that I was having big pay problems with my hogwan. Here's an update.
I've been in Korea since mid-April. I have been through the usual- work too much, no training, horrible apartment, and nasty co-workers- Koreans and other native speakers. It's been bad. For the pay due on May 10, I was FINALLY paid almost two weeks late. That's right- over 5 weeks in Korea with no money except what I brought. For June 10, I was paid on time- but the checks aren't what they're supposed to be.
No money has been taken out for pension, health insurance, and the taxes come out at a higher rate than what is supposedly the law. Ask any questions? Get treated worse, and worse.
The other native speakers? I found out that both make more money than me (I have better qualifications- education-wise), and neither will even meet with me to discuss any pay issues.
The hogwan is pretty bad.
They LOVE scheduling OT- but will say or do anything to avoid paying it.
On June 16 I submitted a 60 letter of resignation- specifically over the late pay. Since then, my work schedule has been increased (I taught over 200 classes in June), and now all of my work is "bad."
The Director called me in for a meeting to tell me that the owner will not give me a letter of release- and he told me that I only worked two months because once I filed the resignation, that counts as my end of work date. That meeting was filled with BS and threats.
The next day he had my recruiter visit the school- the recruiter is a total waste of space. He lied about everything, and he yelled at me that I have it "easy" and that I should "feel lucky" that anyone would give me a job in Korea. I yelled right back at him over his lies and desertion of me when I needed some help and advice over the pay issues.
The owner of this hogwan seems to like Canadians, and she detests Americans. She seems to enjoy cheating people. I try not to take this crap personally (they would cheat anyone- not just me), but it's really hard.
The other native speakers are useless when it comes to cooperation over the pay issues, and the Korean teachers seem to enjoy any problems any of us have at this school- with pay or in the classroom.
In fact, wan has come out of my check for the gas bill (my apartment), over the past two months, yet my gas was shut off this week for non-payment- it's on now. The Korean teachers thought this was HILARIOUS.
I need to know what my rights are, at this point. No one seems to be able to offer a clear response.
I WILL post the full story, with names of the school (the chain is already mentioned on various blacklist pages), the hogwan owner, and the horrible recruiter as soon as I am clear of this hellhole.
If you do have any advice, please post or PM me. This board is a lifesaver for those of us who need help.
Oh, and I probably will face retaliation if anyone from that hogwan recognizes themselves here. Par for the course. |
You are not going to fix things at this job. The enviornment is not going to change. Your director and coworkers will continue you to treat you like crap. There's no need to put up with this, when teachers are are a highly sought after commodity here. You deserve better than this.
Try to save as much money as you can and do a runner. Before you do this, research other possible jobs and make a list of schools that are reputable and that you would like to work for. You can actually visit the schools and talk to teachers at these potential schools during your off hours.
When you get back to your home country, apply for the schools that you were most impressed with.
Good luck! |
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jacl
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:39 pm Post subject: Re: Hogwan hell-Here's what's going on with my problems |
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| DCJames wrote: |
| wylies99 wrote: |
A few weeks ago I posted that I was having big pay problems with my hogwan. Here's an update.
I've been in Korea since mid-April. I have been through the usual- work too much, no training, horrible apartment, and nasty co-workers- Koreans and other native speakers. It's been bad. For the pay due on May 10, I was FINALLY paid almost two weeks late. That's right- over 5 weeks in Korea with no money except what I brought. For June 10, I was paid on time- but the checks aren't what they're supposed to be.
No money has been taken out for pension, health insurance, and the taxes come out at a higher rate than what is supposedly the law. Ask any questions? Get treated worse, and worse.
The other native speakers? I found out that both make more money than me (I have better qualifications- education-wise), and neither will even meet with me to discuss any pay issues.
The hogwan is pretty bad.
They LOVE scheduling OT- but will say or do anything to avoid paying it.
On June 16 I submitted a 60 letter of resignation- specifically over the late pay. Since then, my work schedule has been increased (I taught over 200 classes in June), and now all of my work is "bad."
The Director called me in for a meeting to tell me that the owner will not give me a letter of release- and he told me that I only worked two months because once I filed the resignation, that counts as my end of work date. That meeting was filled with BS and threats.
The next day he had my recruiter visit the school- the recruiter is a total waste of space. He lied about everything, and he yelled at me that I have it "easy" and that I should "feel lucky" that anyone would give me a job in Korea. I yelled right back at him over his lies and desertion of me when I needed some help and advice over the pay issues.
The owner of this hogwan seems to like Canadians, and she detests Americans. She seems to enjoy cheating people. I try not to take this crap personally (they would cheat anyone- not just me), but it's really hard.
The other native speakers are useless when it comes to cooperation over the pay issues, and the Korean teachers seem to enjoy any problems any of us have at this school- with pay or in the classroom.
In fact, wan has come out of my check for the gas bill (my apartment), over the past two months, yet my gas was shut off this week for non-payment- it's on now. The Korean teachers thought this was HILARIOUS.
I need to know what my rights are, at this point. No one seems to be able to offer a clear response.
I WILL post the full story, with names of the school (the chain is already mentioned on various blacklist pages), the hogwan owner, and the horrible recruiter as soon as I am clear of this hellhole.
If you do have any advice, please post or PM me. This board is a lifesaver for those of us who need help.
Oh, and I probably will face retaliation if anyone from that hogwan recognizes themselves here. Par for the course. |
You are not going to fix things at this job. The enviornment is not going to change. Your director and coworkers will continue you to treat you like crap. There's no need to put up with this, when teachers are are a highly sought after commodity here. You deserve better than this.
Try to save as much money as you can and do a runner. Before you do this, research other possible jobs and make a list of schools that are reputable and that you would like to work for. You can actually visit the schools and talk to teachers at these potential schools during your off hours.
When you get back to your home country, apply for the schools that you were most impressed with.
Good luck! |
But...
Depends how much you make at current job... |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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They have refused to provide a letter of release and:
1) still no pension/health insurance
2) still have excessive "utility" costs withheld (even though I receive the statements at my apt and know exactly what should be paid)
3) I was told that I had to pay the recruiter's fees
4) I was told that the flight from the US to ROK cost in excess of 2 million wan
5)so much other stuff you wouldn't believe it
Oh, and I was fired this morning after I presented a letter requesting documentation of all charges and the letter of release.
A lawyer has helped me and labor board, here we come- armed with so much documentation that it makes me wonder if they truly want to fight this out. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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They have refused to provide a letter of release and:
1) still no pension/health insurance
2) still have excessive "utility" costs withheld (even though I receive the statements at my apt and know exactly what should be paid)
3) I was told that I had to pay the recruiter's fees
4) I was told that the flight from the US to ROK cost in excess of 2 million wan
5)so much other stuff you wouldn't believe it
Oh, and I was fired this morning after I presented a letter requesting documentation of all financial charges and the letter of release.
A lawyer has helped me and labor board, here we come- armed with so much documentation that it makes me wonder if they truly want to fight this out. |
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Real Reality
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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wylies99,
Unfortunately, you are in a difficult situation. I hope the labor board officials will help you. They sometimes can help. However, sometimes they cannot help. They may do nothing to help you. I hope everything will work out for you.
You and others might find these articles interesting.
A Country of Liars
"The three representative crimes of our country are perjury, libel and fraud."... The common denominator of the three crimes is lying; in short, we live in a country of liars.... "Internationally, too, there is a perception that South Korea's representative crime is fraud," Kim said,...
by Kim Dae-joong, Chosun Ilbo (July 3, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200507/200507030027.html
Foreigners Experience Difficulties in Living in Korea
by Jae-Dong Yu and Soo-Jung Shin, Donga.com (July 4, 2004)
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2004070522448
Trafficking of English Teachers?
By Chris Brockie, Korea Times (March 17, 2006)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/opinion/200603/kt2006031716054754060.htm |
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PaperTiger
Joined: 31 May 2005
Location: Ulaanbataar
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| Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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| wylies99 wrote: |
They have refused to provide a letter of release and:
1) still no pension/health insurance
2) still have excessive "utility" costs withheld (even though I receive the statements at my apt and know exactly what should be paid)
3) I was told that I had to pay the recruiter's fees
4) I was told that the flight from the US to ROK cost in excess of 2 million wan
5)so much other stuff you wouldn't believe it
Oh, and I was fired this morning after I presented a letter requesting documentation of all financial charges and the letter of release.
A lawyer has helped me and labor board, here we come- armed with so much documentation that it makes me wonder if they truly want to fight this out. |
Wowee, you obviously didn't come here for the money if you can afford a lawyer in Korea...I hope that means you're prepared to pay bribes as well because that will probably be the very first recourse of your boss. There's no way he's going to let himself be taken to court by a foreigner and lose. Let us know how all that works out, serioulsy...best of luck. |
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