Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Dwiggy]

Im pretty new here and not yet au fait with Korean hagwon behaviour.
Earlier this week I found out that my employer intended to keep back 2 weeks pay for this month - my first month. This isnt in my contract. So I complained to my recruiter who came back and said that it was in my contract (turns out it wasnt) and also that Korean Law allows all schools to do this. I said Ok I'll leave then. He came back immediately to say that I would be paid everything on the set date - still in a weeks time. The owners of the hagwon havent spoken to me to confirm this and the husband (principal) is now monitoring all of my lessons in a rather intimidating fashion i.e standing at the door and watching/listening to everything I say and do. They're obviously not happy that I challenged them but wont come out and say it. Not that they really speak English anyway.
Do they want me to hand in my notice by behaving like this (so they dont have to pay me any money?) I would like to leave obviously and have been offered another job. Likelihood of being blacklisted?

[Ya-ta Boy]

Korean bosses are not used to being questioned or challenged. Here, traditionally, power flows from the top down. After all, they had kings for several thousand years during which foriegn empires conquered them and bossed them around. Then they had military dictators. This is all in addition to Confucianism.

On top of all that, you can't just quit and go work some place else. You have to get permission from your present boss. This can be an obstacle.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

In order to feel secur and confident about your employment here you have to be willing to say 'screw it' at any time. Now, I would be absolutely devestated if I had to leave my school and my students behind but the English-speaking teachers at my school know I wouldn't put up with any shit at the same time. I've said things to them when talking about other foreigners' experiences like 'if that ever happened to me I'd quit and go to a school that wanted a real teacher'. If your boss knows that you're not afraid to quit at the drop of a hat he's basically powerless. Consider this summarised conversation:

'I can get you blacklisted so that you can never work in Korea again'.

'I have every parents' phone number and can go to Canada and get my friend's Korean wife [they knew I do indeed have a friend with a Korean wife] to call every parent and tell them my exact opinion of this place. Then I can get a job in Japan or Taiwan. Can you open a hogwan in Japan or Taiwan? No? In that case I'll meet you at immigration tomorrow after lunch'.

If you're not afraid to say 'fire and blacklist me if you want' if you get any BS, they can't really intimidate you much, can they?

[Paji eh Wong]

[Dwiggy]

OK I just packed my bags and left today. There are some good schools out there I know.

Am now at the airport - can they stop you leaving. How quickly do you think you have to leave the country??

[Young FRANKenstein]