Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lugnut_9754]

I'm been here for a month and love it. However on Wednesday I passed out while teaching. I have had iron problems in the past but haven't passed out in over 4 years. Also in the past it was never sudden, I was always sick to begin with. When I passed out this time I was fine on minute and dizzy the next. Anyway after I recovered I continued to teach the rest of the day with no problems. My director told me that if it happened again she would send me home (nice way of saying fire me). Today (Friday) the same thing happen, one minute fine, the next dizzy. I didn't pass out but felt like I was going to. My director wasn't at the school (thank god) but I was allowed to go home from head teacher. Will I be fired? I passed my medical and have my ARC card. The problem is just from not eating properly since I am trying to adjust to the changes of living here. My contract says I can be fired if "The health of the Employee is such that it is deemed impossible for the Employee to continue work" but the problem will go away when i start eating better. Also my contract says that if I am fired I must be given at least 2 months notice. Can the director change this if she wants to fire me right away? Any thoughts are helpful. Thanks.

[Join Me]

[moosehead]

and you know this problem will go away because really you are a dr but was bored with that and decided to teach ESL in Korea because, well, you know, the money is so much better??

I'm sorry but I'm really having a hard time sympathizing for someone that obviously is ill with some kind of medical problem and rather than post on here about, say, where can I find a dr who speaks E and is open on Saturday (Severance Hospital at Yonsei Univ, International Clinic, don't have the number but if you post I'm sure someone will or you can call 1330 and ask them for the number and how to get there - the Intl Clinic is open until 12 on Sat) - you instead post and ask - what was your question actually? can you get fired for passing out at work? uh, yes.

you could have any number of problems - and you could only be making them worse by delaying medical treatment. it could just be as you say, iron, but it could also be diabetes, low blood pressure, or any other number of underlying conditions.

so here's a tip - go to a clinic tomorrow and get checked out by dr and tell them you are worried about getting fired. if the dr gives you the ok to go back to work, ask them if they will speak to your director if requested. then be upfront with your director, tell them you went to the dr and you're following their advice (assuming you are given the ok to go back to work), and hope they will have patience with you and not fire you. I wouldn't go into your past history with your director right now if I were you.

good luck. hope all is ok, or at least nothing serious (obviously all is NOT ok)

[plynx]

[poet13]

OP. If it really is an iron problem, and non something like a brain tumor or an embolism, start eating butt loads of greens TOMORROW. Lightly steamed with a little olive oil, garlic and onion. Butt loads.

[lugnut_9754]

1. No I'm obviously not a doctor
2. I know for certain it is an iron deficiency
3. Thanks to posters 1, 3 and 4 for not acting like complete idiots to my serious post

I'm sorry if my question was not clear.

If my director does fire me can she change how much notice she can give me? My contract states she must give me two months notice if I'm dismissed. Can she change it to 2 week, one month, etc?

My hope is she can't because in two months I should be fine and then would have no reason to get rid of me.

Thanks.

[poet13]

Labor requires 30 days. If you're contract requires more, power to you. If it requires less, the minimum is still 30 days.

[CentralCali]

Your boss can give you either sixty days notice or 60 days pay in lieu. The problem is that you haven't been here long enough for the Labor Board to give a hoot if the boss tells you, "You're fired, get out now" and doesn't pay you.

[ontheway]

If you've been here less than 6 months you have less standing at Labor. Plus, your employer can fire you at anytime. They may owe you a month's pay for doing so, but they do not have to keep you working. If you are fired and not working you might find it difficult to live without income and your chances of collecting a settlement or judgement are slim since you came to Korea with a pre-existing condition that makes it difficult to work.


Solution. Take care of your health. Eat better. Get enough sleep. Get the meds or vitamins that you need. See a doctor (mentioned above: a dr who speaks E and is open on Saturday (Severance Hospital at Yonsei Univ, International Clinic ) if you need to.

It's up to you to get yourself healthy.


You should tell your boss that you've had trouble getting the healthy food that you need and you havn't been eating right. He'll probably recommend Kimchi and one of the popular health drinks. In fact, agree with him that you need more rice and kimchi, that should buy you a little time, space and understanding to get yourself well.

[Donald Frost]

[Countrygirl]

[moosehead]

[SharkDiver]

Moosehead,

There is no question you were condescending and rude. Just because you used no derogatory words changes nothing. Look at the 2nd post of lugnut. It should be obvious by that.

Who are you to tell the OP how they should post their problem or what they should be asking for in their post? Let them post the way they want. It's their post. I'm sure they know what info they want more than you do.


OP,

Take the time to take care of yourself properly, etc. And something to think about: Given that your director just spent a lot of money getting you over here she is probably not very likely to fire you and have to turn around and hire another teacher all over again after only a month. Especially if you are a good teacher and get a medical slip form your doctor. Good luck!

[ReeseDog]

[SharkDiver]

Funny that respect thing, isn't it? How you don't seem to get any if you don't show any in the first place.