Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Sir John Hawkins]

I havent been feeling well this week, so I decided to used one of my sick days today. Obviously, those dont matter, because my director and her American husband showed up at my door threatening to take me to immigration and kicking me out of my apartment (they told me to pack my bags) We had about a 45 minute conversation about what it means to be sick and I should have to go to the doctor and come to work!

Anyway, this story has a past, some of you may know about it. MY question is, what are my rights in this situation? What can I do? I want to get another job around where I leave, what can I do to make that happen?

[losing_touch]

If you are looking for another job in Ulsan, shoot me a PM. I know of a few openings in the future.

[Zantetsuken]

I always find it disturbing when I hear about waygooks who own hakwons act just as bad or worse than their sleazy Korean counterparts. You'd figure that they would be cool....

[Juregen]

[3MB]

[QbertP]

If your contract says you get sick days, then you get sick days.

On top of that, they can not kick you out of your apartment. Your boss does not have the power to evict you. They do not have the power to throw you out of the country.

If you are fired you will need to talk to the relevant authorities. Immigration, Labor, etc. Make sure that you get it in writing that you have been fired. Do not stop going to work until they put it in writing. Keep your paystubs, check for deductions for insurance and pension. These are not optional. No matter what your contract says.

Check out the sticky "How to legally hammer your hogwan boss into submission."

I'm no expert but there are many on the board who are. There are many posts about this kind of thing. Good luck.

[Sir John Hawkins]

Thanks for the help guys. I didnt have time to go over the whole story. I will get my ducks in a row for the monday morning meeting we have. Any other tips will be helpful. Thanks all.

[lifeinkorea]

Yea, here is a tip, if you take a sick day, DON'T STAY AT HOME!!! Go to a cafe or somewhere and sit it out. You probably work in the afternoon, so if you are ready to go the next day, come back at night. Don't reply to any phone calls by them. When you come back home at night, send a text message with a brief "sick note" and say you are ready to go first thing tomorrow.

Don't open the door to confrontation or else they will arm wrestle you, and they will ALWAYS win in that case cause they are the owner. When they get get upset ask them what they want you to do in the future, and then agree to do it. It's either you go in the next day or they make it worse for themselves by going to immigration. It's obviously just a threat and a threat to control. Don't read too much into it.

[Juregen]

The difference lies in the concept of sick.

To Korean standards, being sick means you can't even get out of bed or you need to be hospitalized.

Next time, try to negotiate when you feel very bad, I am pretty sure a lot of people work even though they do not feel 100% ....

[Thunndarr]

[samcheokguy]

I molest the female teachers and fake menningitis (spelling). I wasn't asked to come in for like a month!

[Jammer113]

[tenchu77491]

I was so sick once, I called in to work at Avalon. I told them I am not going to make it, I am sick. I hung up.

Director told an FT to call me and the FT asked me 'can you walk to work and then the school **** will drive you to the hospital?'

I replied, 'if I could walk to school I would work' and then I hung up.

Then they got the older FT to call me, 'can you walk to work the director really wants you to come so they can bring you to the hospital'

I replied 'if I stand up I am going to vomit, I am going back to sleep'

6 hours later the school ***** knocked on my door and I stumbled out of bed and opened the door. The guy spoke no english but he said something like asdiasdnasnda and motion with his car keys. Then he brought me to the hospital. The doc said I have a cold and gave a prescription. I went to the pharmacy with the dude. Went home with him.

No one ever complained about me being sick and no one ever spoke of it.

That's how I roll. guess it just depends how you handled from the get go. I was stubborn but I was damn sick. I could have proved it too, if anyone came to my home any earlier I would have just vomited all over them.

[wylies99]

[Young FRANKenstein]