Korean Job Discussion Forums

[afsjesse]

I like Korea, I really do!!! But I have one these hagwons that are sketchy and that I consider in the gutter. I have three months left and I'm finished.
As far as I know, he is not paying my pension. I went to the pension office personally. For 5 out of the last 6 months I have not been paid in full on payday, and he is saving all of my bills, pension and insurance bills till my last month when he will deduct it from my check and severence!!! Those are the big problems.
Now, I don't know about you people, but this guy sits down with me every month just about and complains about this and that. Most of the time its complaints about why I do this or complaints from students about the tests I am forced to give them. But yesterday took the cake!
He said in a serious tone that he needed to talk to me, in which I replied Ok..... He sits down and tells me that he recieved a complaint from a parent that their child had a nightmare about me. Oh my goodness..... the poor kid had a nightmare about the big bad foreigner. Apparently the poor chap got scolded by me one day for hitting me or another student. He told me that I cant get angry and that I should always be nice to them.
Now granted, I agree with this, but I told him I will not tolerate being hit by my students or them doing it to others. Whereas I do raise my voice and scold them so they get the hint not to do it again. I have been here 9 months and have done this numerous times.
Now I find this situation ironic as the director is the one who beats the living crap out of the kids. I"m not exagerating when I say he patrols my classes with a ruler and bamboo stick. I have seen him beat students till they cry, slap their hands, one time I saw him pick up a plastic pencilcase and hit the student in the head. And of course the other Korean teachers punish them the same way. Now me on the other hand, the worse I do is raise my voice when they get out of hand and then send them out to the hall.
So I find myself asking, why would they have a bad dream about me and not about the real villain lurking about?

[Whistleblower]

Mr Jesse. I recommend that you start to record your meetings with the guy. Also try to get as much ammunition to nail this idiot (so far so good with pension, but others like no health, no tax paid, pay slips with illegal deductions, etc).

He is not allowed to deduct anything from your pay as this is illegal and against the Labor Standards Act. Also, try to get a digital voice recorder and record the meetings you have with him. If there are any complaints, try to get a written summary from the guy (dated and on company letterhead).

I have a feeling that he is going to try and get rid of you before your contract ends. Don't worry he needs you more than you need him but if he does sell you short, name and shame him. I would be willing to help if you wish to move to another school, just PM me.

Finally, the Labor Board will have a field day regarding no pension paid, no health, 11th month firings and other aspects. I guess if you really want to get the guy nailed you could record him discreetly beating the students and then take a trip to the Ministry of Education and get his license revoked. That will be good ammunition against him if he really wants to get rid of you quickly and I am sure he will provide everything before you go if you threaten him with the recording.

Good luck.

[afsjesse]

What's weird is that there's CCTV cameras in every room in the hagwon. Now I don't know if he saves those tapes or records over them.... Yesterday a Korean teacher beat the snot out of this trouble maker. Now he's by far the worst treated in the school, and is also my worst student. But the poor lad just was balling.

As for recordings go, I have no idea on how to even do that.

[Whistleblower]

Head over to youtube.com and type in "Korean teacher beating" and you will see a load of selfmade recordings from students with their teachers beating them.

They have used a mobile phone to record the entire thing and then uploaded it to youtube.com. If you have a small digital camera (if not I suggest you get one with a recording feature), there is a recording feature, most likely.

Record the teacher and boss, or steal the CCTV videos one night when the boss is away and copy the beatings going on.

More ammunition to shoot this bar-stard down.

[Lekker]

Your contract is coming to an end. I would say he is trying to find ways to get rid of you. Take the previous advice. Record what he says.

Then go to the NPS, ask them for a print out showing when payments were made into your pension account, and how much they are for, as well as the lack of payments on his behalf. Then take the print out back to your boss, tell him that you are not there to talk about your performance but your departure, which will be in three months. If he throws any more BS at you, like your fired, or whatever, tell him that you will take the print out to the Labor Board. He won't have a leg to stand on.

[Kikomom]

OP: