Korean Job Discussion Forums

[paperbag princess]

i've had several problems with my boss recently. he shits on me for everything. i come to work on time. i have never had an issue with any of the staff. yesterday, i had an emergance and had to change my schedule. i okayed it with the co-teachers so they would work 80 minutes yesterday and i would work 80 minutes on wednesday. i cleared it with my head teacher and the female boss, who actually owns the business.

so today i get a "reprimand notice" stating the following:

the employing is getting this notice for following reasons:

1) maltreating korean workers
2) attempting to change school's classschedule for improper private reasons
3) insulting and inappropriate manners and attitude toward superior manager and principal of the school.

(i've left all the spelling the same way).

i've got one month to fix my attitude or they'll fire me.

i've never had an official complaint before. i've never treated my coworkers badly.

i'm not at 6 months yet, can they make me pay back the plane ticket if they fire me?

any advice?

thanks!!!

[lush72]

[peppermint]

According to the labor board, they can't, but if it's in your contract, there may be a bit of a battle over it. I was told that such notices are bull, and the labor board essentially disregards them, but you may want to consider giving thirty days notice and looking for a new job.

[Kristsoy]

like korean people follow contracts

[Mr. Pink]

You could always roll up a cigerette with the paper and smoke it in front of the boss

That would send a message

[paperbag princess]

i'm under six months though. if they fire me will i have to pay back the plane ticket?

i asked them if they had any problems with the way i teach and they said, "no we love the way you teach." then i asked if they had ever had any complaints from the parents and they said "no."

it's also bizarre that they gave a notice to the only other teacher under six months as well...

this place just gets harder to deal with.

[some waygug-in]

Chances are pretty good that he's (or was it she?) looking for an excuse to fire you. I'm not sure what I would do, contact EFL-law and see if they have any answers.

Do you (or did you) have a pretty good relationship with your boss before this? Can you try to talk about it with him/her and see if you can get a clear answer as to why it was done? Just calmly, without getting emotional, (I know it's hard not to in this situation) try to discuss it with your boss.

Good luck.

[paperbag princess]

no, we have a terrible relationship. it's the male boss that i had the problems with. i spoke with his wife and she was understanding and she just told me that he's a korean man and that's how they behave. i think that's bs...

[Kristsoy]

what? efl-law is useless man. what have they done here for anyone
nothing as far as i can tell

[tokki]

[captain kirk]

What is an 'emergance'? I had an 'emergance' once; it was the size of a pigeon's egg. It hurt to sit. After a few weeks it subsided. Oh, you mean 'emergency'! Well, forget the Preparation H, then.
Just a spelling emergency, whew!
Before the six months mark you are not eligible for the one month notice or one month pay in lieu of the former. Management can dismiss a worker anytime, for any reason, without notice. Sounds pretty cold-blooded and exploitative these intimations/signs of being about to be let go early. Nothing personal in it. In fact quite the opposite. Try to relax and oriented into another position putting out emails to prospective employers and get the letter of release in the bag. Good luck!

[Derrek]

Princess, based on my limited knowledge acquired over working a few years here, you will be gone before the 6 month mark..

If a director is giving you a reprimand at this point in the ballgame, you are basically being told you're history.

You need to ask yourself if you wish to stay working for this bum any longer.

Go to the guy and talk to him about it. Ask him point-blank if he wants to get rid of you. Until the 6 month mark, he can basically do whatever he wants. At least you can learn some honest truth -- or make him lie to your face and possibly feel like an ass for doing so.

Make him tell you directly what you are doing wrong, and he'll give you some chance to improve. I doubt it , but maybe it can buy you enough time there to get over the 6 month mark.

I like to confront people about stuff like this. Otherwise it drives me nuts feeling like I'm going to get a suprise some day -- like fired.

I especially like to confront Koreans, because it flies against what they know as the "Korean way", and it makes them very uncomfortable. Suddenly you are pitting the "friendly lie-to-your-face" bullcrap against the authoritarian, "I'm the Korean big-man who likes to be a bossy asshole". It's fun to see them struggle with it, and possibly push them into saying something they wish they could just keep secret.

Make him squirm, or become angry and lose face. It's even better if you can do it in front of witnesses, but that takes guts.

Kill them with kindness in the process.

[the eye]

Princess,

I have to agree with Derrek. Except, I recommend buying a cheap mini tape recorder...the kind you can slip...er, maybe in your cleavage
Ask the *beep* if he thinks you are a good teacher, if there are any reasons he may want to get rid of you.
Throw in the name of your hakwan and his name when you are talking.
You will have some proof of his comments.

I pulled that on my present employer, but i told her up front, and i used the school's equipment. Up to that point she was threatening me and hurling insults left right and center during our 'conversations'. She doesn't talk to me anymore now.

[paperbag princess]

ok, thanks for all the advice!

yeah, sorry about the typos, anger seems to make my fingers slip

he always gets angry with me, so i guess he's tired of "losing face".

i spoke to the female boss, the bastard's wife and she was sympathetic, but only mildly so. the thing is they lost 3 foreign teachers in a row in november/december (just when i arrived, and yes, this is when i should have left) and they lost half their enrollment. if they loose two more foreign teachers their school will probably shut down. i know it and she knows it, but her husband doesn't seem to care...

she also mentioned the fact that one of the former teachers black listed the school and that it had hurt them a lot (financially speaking) and i would her that if things end badly; i am also not a quiet person.

anyway, i'm going to spend the rest of the day trying to get out of this with the least pain.

the eye, that's an awesome idea. think i'll do that on friday. at least that way i'll have it on tape...

[hojusaram]

Thought I would drop my 2 cents in here,

I would suggest that you immediatley go to the labour or legal office that handles labour affairs for you.

If you know anything about Korean Culture, then you would know that a Korean man will never lose face and will lie even in order that he doesnt lose face.
So you would know if your workplace has many clients or very little.

Thus "how can the Korean man" get rid of you without being rediculed and embarrased that his business might be failing?

His wife of course will be very supportive because she knows what the situation is and will be comforting you on your transition to disaster.

My advice is GET OUT now, go get a legal solicitor or even go to the local prosecutors office, (who often have a moderate decorum of English). You will notice these days that many private institutes are heading down the same path of bankruptcy or failure.

It is directly proportional to the quaility and standards of education that is being improved in the public school systems, expecially in the fields of English, where more and more profesionally trained English speaking Korean teachers who have a higher degree of fluency are now teaching at schools and where possible in English. As this professionalisation goes on there will be a lesser need for hogwan styled English.

Which of course is a good thing for Korea, but doesn't help you.