Korean Job Discussion Forums

[coulter]

I have been told that I will be working (pimped out) to an elementary school for January. First, they need me to go to a doctor to check my health. I am told it will take an hour. Has anyone had one of these health checks in Korea? What should I expect?

[ajgeddes]

The health checks are quick and easy. The only thing you have to worry about it peeing in a cup. Other than that, you do little things like blood pressure and eye tests. I think they do a chest X-ray as well, but I don't remember. It takes maybe 25 minutes. To be honest, it was kind of fun. Plus nothing is better than getting a clean bill of health.

[coulter]

So, no rectal exam or anything like that, eh? That's good.

[sock]

Rectal exam involves a giant q-tip. It needs to come out brown, but in my experience, it was at least a self-administered test. But yeah, overall, not a big deal. I think they take some blood too, to make sure you're not HIV+. There are some free clinics around Seoul that schools typically send their teachers to when having the health check done.

Have a good time!

[poet13]

Just make sure you have the new location on your ARC. It's easy to do, but many employers don't want to do it.

I'm curious about working in an elemtary schol for January. School is finished on Jan 1, 2, or 3 I think, until about March 5.

Are you being pimped to a camp? Who do you work for now? If you work in the public school system (EPIK, GEPIK and ?) and are being told you have to work all of January (when everyone else has time off), I would feel like I was being taken advatange of. Yes, it is their right to work you, but I think the vast majority have much of that time off.

[coulter]

I am working for a hakwon. It must be a camp of some kind. I dont have much info about it. I'll try to find out more from my boss today. I've been pimped out for a while now (illegally and legally) and have never required a health check. I will make sure this one is legal. I am quite pissed off about the whole situation.

[poet13]

So is it full time for January?
Whose going to pay you?
Hakwon or the school?
Who is requiring the health check? The school? Then have them pay for it. If you are APPLYING to work in a public school, then YOU pay for the medical. If not, get someone else to pay for it.

If you're bent about it, then I would try and find any legal avenue out of it.
Your first recourse is demanding the second location on your ARC.

Something else to think about. Is your hakwon paying your taxes properly? I ask, because the school will probably declare your income. It's hard to just write-off the several million won that goes to you and your bosses cut. In which case, it might trigger an inquiry into your hakwon taxes. Also, health care and pension. The school may submit your information to ADD TO THE BENEFITS YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID.

Even if I am way off base with the suggestions above, raising these questions with your director might scare him or her into reconsidering the whole idea.....

Dont know though. I hope that helps...

[coulter]

Wow, Poet, you ask a lot of questions. I'm off the hook for the health check, for now. The school will try to get around it as it is too much of a hassle for me and for my boss. I'm not comfortable being poked and prodded at in a scary-ass hospital for an hour in order to work at another school for an hour a day, four days a week for a month. If it turns out they need me to do it, my boss will have to find some other way to put me to work for those hours. It will be 100% legal, and I'm getting what I want for it so it should be fine. Thanks for your concern.

[poet13]

"Wow, Poet, you ask a lot of questions."

sorry, just thinking out loud..... The way you originally talked about it, it seemed like you were going to be working full time for a month instead of taking a holiday. Then when you said you were in a hakwon, it brought back horrible flashbacks that left me cold and shaking..... I cried myself to sleep last night....lol

Well, good luck at the hospital. That part isn't a big deal at all.

[Pak Yu Man]

Hope you haven't done drugs lately.