Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chaz47]

I am resigning soon and the school board is trying to force me into agreeing to things which are not in my contract.

First they want to dock my pay for vacation days I was forced to take prior to beginning work. I was contracted to work at two different public schools with two different start dates. I had to take the two weeks so that I could begin working a full week at the same time, rather than working half a week for two weeks.

Second they want me to reimburse them for the money they gave me to cover my visa run expenses ( they originally reimbursed me, now they want me to give it back to them ).

I was contracted for two schools and really liked the second one. I offered to stay at the other school and the other school really wanted to keep me. The education board decided that it would be too much paperwork to keep me at the other school though.

My last day should be on the 13th, they are trying to get me to stay until the 15th. My thinking is, screw them... last week they were trying to force me to work an extra week which would make getting a new visa for my next job (at the end of this month) a little difficult.

To top all of this off, my primary school hasn't been deducting pension from my check (or medical either most likely)... so I will be expected to pay an addition 350,000.

I really detest this education board and have no sympathy for them.

Here is a letter I composed to the recruiter who has been doing the negotiations. I want it to sound firm but not inflammatory.

********************************************

DEAR RECRUITER,

....

I spoke to YOUR REPRESENTATIVE briefly about some pay issues and my last day.

I don't want to be a jerk about this, I do care about the school and the students but I have no sympathy for the XXXX education board. They are asking for things that are not in my contract. No where in my contract is anything stated about my reimbursing anyone for travel allowances or vacation days if my contract is terminated early.

Like I said, I don't want to be a jerk, but these are the same people that wouldn't change my contract to only XXXX SCHOOL because "it was too much paperwork". I have no sympathy for them, perhaps they should begin reading the contracts they sign people too.

I really don't want to be a jerk but I will not be bullied by these people either.



Thanks,

CHAZ47

******************************************

Any suggestions before I mail it off?

[chris_J2]

Won't you need a letter of release, or has that already been arranged?

[ilovebdt]

First of all, don't send that letter off, think about it overnight.
Second, Call the labour board. If it is not in your contract they can't have it. Here is the number: 1350 and press 7 to speak to an English speaking representative.

ilovebdt

[poet13]

Sorry, but that is so NOT a professional letter. You're not likely to get anywhere writing a letter anyways. If they continue to give you grief, just call the labor board.

[Wrench]

Labour Board.

[chaz47]

[spliff]

Hmmm, the letter format is not quite right.

[spliff]

Hmmm, I've got it, change that to " I don't want to be unnecessarily uncool and heavy but...., ", it'll go over much better and give it a professional air ( especially if your boss is Canadian) ...

[chaz47]

[Hanson]

Have you tried hitting them over the head with a book?

[paddylopez]

[antoniothegreat]

they are demanding you give them money for something that is not in your contract and then asking you to work extra days? are you crazy? that is insane? if i resigned and they demanded money then asked me to work extra days i would laugh my butt off.

if you want, use that as a negotiating tool. tell them, give me my letter of release NOW, and i will work an extra week for you, with extra pay being made daily.

dont give them any possibility to skrew you. pending letter of release means, no, but we arent going to tell you that until after we get you to agree to as much as possible. if you are leaving, they have no reason to be considerate to you.

[Son Deureo!]

Rule #1: You should not use the word "jerk" in any business correspondence that you want to have taken seriously. Don't even think about sending that letter. It's probably for the best that the recruiter is willing to negotiate on your behalf.

Definitely call the Labor Board. You have been following the law by giving notice that you want to resign, they're breaking the law so this should be pretty cut and dry.

More and more of these ugly stories seem to be coming out of the public schools lately. Public school principals sound just about as bad as the wonjangnims that have been the bain of our existence for so long. I switched from a kiddie hogwon to a corporate adult hogwon just when the public school hiring boom started. At the time I thought I might have been missing out on a good thing. It doesn't seem that way any more.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[chaz47]