Korean Job Discussion Forums

Emma Clare · Joined: 24 May 2003 Location: Anseong, sung, song.

I currently have a college position which allows me 4 weeks off over Christmas. Yippee!!

My friend who works in a Hogwan wants to go back home to Aus during my break, and she has asked me to cover her classes for a week or so whilst she's away. Call me stupid, but as she works for an entirely different employer, wouldn't this be illegal??

kimcheeking · Guest

Emma Clare · Joined: 24 May 2003 Location: Anseong, sung, song.

Methinks she is asking a lot then!

ulsanchris · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Location: take a wild guess

Call me selfish but why ruin your vacation so she can have one.

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

It'd have to be a hell of a friend for me to do that.

I can count on one hand the number of people in Korea I would do that for...and still have a couple fingers left over Razz

Emma Clare · Joined: 24 May 2003 Location: Anseong, sung, song.

Well, I have 4 weeks vacation and I go home at the end of Feb. She only gets this one week (unpaid) until July...

However, she jumped at this job (It was the very first position she was offered) and she didn't look around and try and get the best working conditions she could (She works from 10am until 7pm, 5 days per week, and she absolutely insists that most teachers only get 1 weeks holiday (plus National Holidays) a year. I told her she'd been screwed over, because plenty of schools offer 1 week in the summer, and 1 week in the winter i.e. 10 days) She doesn't know very much about the job market or about ESL law/regulations either. So part of me feels as though it's her own tough luck really for not doing her homework/research in the first place. Or is that too harsh?

She told me that I'd get 20,000 WON per hour, but they'd probably take off 8 hours because they're tight, and she's been saying for months how crappy her hogwan bosses are. Also, the school knows it's illegal, but doesn't care. They're as dodgy as hell!

Added to this, I just don't want to do anything illegal (even if it is only breaking Korean law) I work for a really good college and I don't want to risk discrediting them in any way either.

I also really want to spend as much time with my BF as possible, because he will be leaving SK in the 2nd week of Jan and I won't see him for at least 4 months after that. I don't get to see much of him as it is because he's in the military, except for during my month off, when he'll be stationed up in Seoul and working mornings only.

Urgh, if I don't say yes, then she can't go. I love her to bits, but she's put me in a really awkward situation. Am I just being totally selfish???

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

Nope you are not being selfish.

Also for 20,000 an hour but they wont pay you for 8hrs WTF is with that?

I did a day of covering and got paid 35,000 a class, which were only 45mins.

Her job sounds awful.

Hmm guess there is only 1 person in Korea I would do that for - and I am married to her!

With better pay, well I can add a couple more to my list Razz

Also how exactly is she getting time off if you are covering for her? I would really like that explained. Paid holidays usually mean, hawgwon shuts down for 4 days and adds a national holiday so you get 5 days off.

Seems you could cover for her at any time since she is just randomly picking a week where regular classes are being held. Her school should provide her with someone to cover her classes if they have to give her 1 week holiday a year.

Emma Clare · Joined: 24 May 2003 Location: Anseong, sung, song.

justagirl · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Cheonan/Portland

That's a toughie, Emma! If you say no, it puts your relationship with your friend in a tight spot, and that isn't fun at all. It probably makes you wish she hadn't asked at all! I can understand why she is asking, and why her hakwon is putting the responsibility on her to find a replacement teacher. However, it causes a problem for you that you don't want or need to have.

I think the best thing to do is to play your "it's illegal" card. You could even ask a superior at your school and tell them the situation, that you don't want to work for your friend so you'd like your superior to tell you that you can't. Then you can honestly tell your friend that your employer won't let you.

It really isn't worth risking your job, even if the risk is small--unless you want to do it. It's not anything ANYONE would want to do that I know of. Who would want to work on their vacation so someone else can have a vacation?

Something along the lines of, "I'm really sorry, but I feel uncomfortable about the situation because it's illegal to work for you. I asked at my university and they weren't happy about it and I think it's best if I pass on this. I know you were hoping to visit your family, but I don't think I can cover your classes because it puts my job at risk. Again, I'm sorry I can't help you more."

Good luck!

justagirl

waterbaby · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Baking Gord a Cheescake pie

Perhaps you could your friend out by showing her the following:

Emma Clare · Joined: 24 May 2003 Location: Anseong, sung, song.

Thanks guys. Like I said, I want to help, but I really don't want to risk getting caught out with immigration, and therefore losing my job at college, because it's a really good position and my employers have been pretty much fantastic all the way. It would only take some disgruntled Mother to make an 'anonymous phone call' because she didn't like my teaching methods, or because I looked at little Billy the wrong way, or whatever (from what my friend says, they already appear to like complaining rather a lot about her to the boss) and I'd be screwed.

There are only 3 teachers at her school. Not sure about the total number of employees? Do other staff count as well?

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Since your other job is a University, you can get a letter from your University stating that they don't care, along with a letter from her Hagwon, and a form filled out from immigration. IF immigration approves, you can do it.

BUT

It's all a big pain-in-the-butt mess, and I'd just not do it.

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

emma,
Like most of the others I would use the 'saving face approach'. Tell her it's illegal etc.

CLG

kiwiboy_nz_99 · Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Location: ...Enlightenment...

As has been stated, because you work at a uni, there is a way around it with permission from your empoyer. For me the issue would be money. You don't have to accept the pay the Hagwon offers you, you could negotiate with the your friend that she pays you some extra to bump it up to amount you both feel is fair. You should be getting more than her standard wage for doing covering work in a time when you could be taking a holiday.