Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Lost Seoul]

[Gord]

[paperbag princess]

"In hagwons sick days exist in name only. If you actually try to take them you're frowned upon as a lazy, irresponsible waygook who doesn't understand how things work here. "

so true. one of my colleagues gets migranes and she came to school with one one day. so the jonwon accused her of going out the night before when he looked at her. after she explained she had a migrane, the first thing he said wasn't, "i hope you feel better", it was, "you can't go home". she went to her class gave the kids colouring and every five minutes the jonwon came in and reiterated that she couldn't go home. evenutally the pain was so bad that she started crying, then all her kids comforted her and finally the jonwon (who was watching her class on the tvs in his office)let her go home, but only for the morning.
her then preceded to call her at her house every ten minutes to make sure she was coming in for the afternoon.

[Skippy]

We all have tales of Stupid Bosses or Evil Bosses and Sick Days.

One of mine.

My school got a new vice-director (VD - ). Simply put a head teacher. A new wayguk teacher was curious about sick days because she was getting sick quite often. Anyway the VD said she was the first foreign person who was sick. True VD was new at being VD but she was a normal teacher for over 5 years. And it was only about three months after some other wayguk teachers left and one of them missed about a week of school due to an emergency gall bladder surgery. What foreigners do not get sick! What the heck are you blind and dumb! The women went to the hospital all the teachers - korean and waygook where talking about it. Boy this women was a dolt.

Another one.

My GF got sick and I commented to my boss that she was sick. He told me to not to visit her. What! My GF is in pain and wants some comfort and I should avoid her. Not nice I ignored him. In a sense I understand you should not hangout with a sick person. But if I should avoid sick people - I should not be teaching children. I mean everyday I can at least point to one or two children coughing, wheeezing, sneezing, dribbling snot on the desk and just basically being little typhoid Marys.

When it comes to sick days and koreans. They like to slog through work sick. Generally I agree a bit - most of the time if I have a basic fever or cold - just work your way through the day. Keep it easy, play some games. Even give you manager a heads up that you are not at your best today.

Still my dream is to be forced to come to work when I am sick. And then in Mid class let loose a torrent of vomit onto one student - hopefully one I do not like. And then it cascades from there. I think the school would listen next time I ask for a sick day.

I think the only time the school does not want yor to come in is if your sickness is visible and discusting. I am talking like pus filled boils, scars, missing fingers, bleeding from your eyes. Even then I think they will still want you to work.

Some general advice people. If you are sick - go to the doctor - and get a signed doctors note. A signed doctors note will mean your are actually sick and not hung over. Keep all your notes. If your school tries and fires you for being sick. Those are proof you can take to the Labour Board.

Skippy the Sick Bastard

[Lost Seoul]

[just because]

[Toby]

So. The long and short is that if I wanted to fight it, quoting Korean law, then I could. Otherwise it is a pretty hazy area and depends on the contract and the boss?