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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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phobic
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
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 Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:02 am Post subject: Asked to do Privates by my boss |
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So today I got asked by my boss to do private tuoring lessons for her brother-in-law. The pay seemed decent at abot $25 an hour, however I have no desire to teach privates at all. One because it takes up valuable weekend time, and the other is because, well, I kinda like not being deported.
For starters, I have only been in Korea for a few weeks, and don't have my ARC yet, so this request so soon makes me a bit suspicious. Not only was I asked to do privates by my head Korean teacher, but I was told that it was sanctioned by the owner of the quite large hagwon chain in Seoul that I work for.
As I am still extremely new here, I can't figure out if it is a ploy where if I say yes, they can terminate me for accepting to do something illegal, or if I say no, that they can terminate me for something else. That may sound paranoid, I know, but like I said, I am very new here.
I would love some advice on how to say no without possibly losing my job, maybe even a compromise where half the time is spent teaching English,and the other half learning Korean (although from what I have heard, the learning Korean part is less likely to happen). Ultimately though, I really do not want to give up weekend hours to teach pivates!!
Any suggestions here or in a PM would be much appreciated.
Thank you.
Last edited by phobic on Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:22 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Ukon
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:10 am Post subject: |
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| Don't do it....and be wary, your boss sounds shady already....also the rates for privates are $40 minimum upt to $90.....$25 is a rip off. |
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Looney
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:15 am Post subject: Re: Asked to do Privates by my boss |
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| phobic wrote: |
So today I got asked by my boss to do private tuoring lessons for her brother-in-law. The pay seemed decent at abot $25 an hour, however I have no desire to teach privates at all. One because it takes up valuable weekend time, and the other is because, well, I kinda like not being deported.
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$25 = 33,000 won. It's peanuts....not even the average.
You're right about it being illegal....if you don't want to do them don't do them. Just say you're uncomfortable about teaching privates and you only just arrived in the country and want to settle in and concentrate on your teaching only....no privates. |
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blackjack
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: anyang
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:42 am Post subject: |
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| I think when he/she (OP) is saying $25 they mean 25,000 won. If your boss wants to give you privates tell him min is 50,000 (maybe 40,000 if you're country). Language exchanges don't count. If they want an English lesson then it is an English lesson. |
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phobic
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:55 am Post subject: |
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| blackjack wrote: |
| I think when he/she (OP) is saying $25 they mean 25,000 won. If your boss wants to give you privates tell him min is 50,000 (maybe 40,000 if you're country). Language exchanges don't count. If they want an English lesson then it is an English lesson. |
Unfortunately you are right, she offered $25 an hour, or $50 for two, which I assumed was 25,000 and 50,000 won respectively. Even if it was alot more than the averages stated here, I would not feel right accepting it. just felt uncomfortable with the whole situation considering that it was my boss who was asking.
Even from my short time here, I already can see the double standards of what is culturally acceptable, and what actually goes on (i.e., smoking/drinking in excess/prostitution is bad, but is extremely prevalant), however, such a request from a boss, especially so soon after I arrived seemed even more shady.
I just wanted to add that in the States, if this situation arose, I knew that I would have legal recourse to some extent if absolutely necessary, or at the very least, an HR department to go to. But seeing as the hagwon owner gave consent as well makes me more nervous.
Thank you all to those that have replied so far.
Oh, an I wanted to add, besides this incident, I have loved every minute of the past 2+ weeks that I have been in Korea. I lucked out with a great set of foreign and Korean coworkers, my students are fantastic (except for maybe 1 or two problem kids), and besides the lack of a microwave or decent internet connection in my apartment, I have absolutely no complaints!
*Edited for content and spelling*
Last edited by phobic on Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:23 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:16 am Post subject: |
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| phobic wrote: |
| blackjack wrote: |
| I think when he/she (OP) is saying $25 they mean 25,000 won. If your boss wants to give you privates tell him min is 50,000 (maybe 40,000 if you're country). Language exchanges don't count. If they want an English lesson then it is an English lesson. |
Unfortuately you are right, she offered $25 an hour, or $50 for two, which I assumed was 25,000 and 50,000 won respectively. Even if it was alot more than the averages stated here, I would not feel right accepting it. just felt uncomfortable with the whole situation considering that it was my boss who was asking.
Even from my short time here, I already can see the double standards of what is culturally acceptable, and what actually goes on (i.e., smoking/drinking in excess/prostitution is bad, but is extremely prevalant), however, such a request from a boss, especially so soon after I arrived seemed even more shady.
I just wanted to add that in the States, if this situation arose, I knew that I would have legal recourse to some extent if absolutely necessary, or at the very least, an HR department to go to. But seeing as the hagwon owner gave consent as well makes me more nervous.
Thank you all to those tbat have replied so far. |
Just say to your boss that you followed the law in your country, that you come from a law abiding family, and many in your people served in the military, and it's not your style to break laws in your country or any country, and you just want to what was agreed to, and you came on that basis, and you only want to do your job.
In the meantime, save enough money for a plane ticket, in case you have to bail. You can get permission from your boss to do privates. That part is true, but you have to get registered with immigration to be able to do that. The way they are suggesting it is illegal. Any side jobs require approval, but you may be finding this out that some Korean hagwon owners feel they are the law, and they don't care for the government. |
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phobic
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:29 am Post subject: |
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| Adventurer wrote: |
You can get permission from your boss to do privates. That part is true, but you have to get registered with immigration to be able to do that. The way they are suggesting it is illegal. |
I had no idea that it was legal if allowed by the boss. I might be willing to do privates during the week if that were the case and got approval from immigration. I will look into the legal route for sure, as long as it doesn't require me to get married for an F-2! |
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lifeinkorea
Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Location: somewhere in China
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:55 am Post subject: |
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If it is a hagwon, why can't the owner just sign up their friend, relative, whatever to their school? Then you could teach them as overtime and get it all done legally.
Why are privates being asked for at a hagwon (seems strange to me)? |
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phobic
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:01 am Post subject: |
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| lifeinkorea wrote: |
If it is a hagwon, why can't the owner just sign up their friend, relative, whatever to their school? Then you could teach them as overtime and get it all done legally.
Why are privates being asked for at a hagwon (seems strange to me)? |
I am guessing that the hagwon I work for enrolls elementary to middle school, and signing up a 28 year old would be odd (although I was told that his English was at an elementary level).
As I said before, thank you for all of the replies, even after reading many forum posts before I even arrived here, I am still not familiar with some of the nuances involved with teaching here. |
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blackjack
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: anyang
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:05 am Post subject: |
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| phobic wrote: |
| Adventurer wrote: |
You can get permission from your boss to do privates. That part is true, but you have to get registered with immigration to be able to do that. The way they are suggesting it is illegal. |
I had no idea that it was legal if allowed by the boss. I might be willing to do privates during the week if that were the case and got approval from immigration. I will look into the legal route for sure, as long as it doesn't require me to get married for an F-2! |
Not really legal to get privates but you can get secondary places added on to your visa. Each place you work has to get approved
It's really up to you if you chose to do privates. I confess i do, I realise it is not legal, but the gains out way the potential cost.
You have only been here a couple of weeks i wouldn't risk it till you know what you are doing.
The easiest way is to simply tell your boss, you are not keen to break the law. If he pushes (I hate saying this) but you are female right? act ditsy. i would never say this back home but it works here. Simply put it off and never get round to it.
try not to get in a fight with your boss in the first couple of weeks, (esp if an old style Korean) if you get into a disagreement with them in the first couple of weeks you are not going to have a fun time.
Do your co-workers do privates for friends of your boss? (my boss keeps trying to give me some but I am already booked pretty solid and so just pass them off to friends) |
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phobic
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:28 am Post subject: |
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| Nope, not female just overly paranoid. Mostly because the Korean boss who asked me did not like/trust me at first because I am the only male in a department that is female only. I was hired originally as a middle school teacher that would be required to sub for elementary if needed, but a foreign female elementary teacher pulled a runner, so I got her job full time. The middle school employs 3 males and only 1 female so i don't think that gender is the issue. Like I said, I am overly sensitive/aware only because I have only been teaching for two weeks, and the head teacher of my department that asked me to do privates seemed distrustful of me at the begiining. |
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travelingfool
Joined: 10 Mar 2008
Location: Parents' basement
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 12:05 pm Post subject: |
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Don't do it! Your boss could be setting you up. One of the many horror stories I heard was where a boss set up a teacher with privates then that same boss tipped off immigration and said teacher was deported. Nice way of getting rid of someone  |
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cdninkorea
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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| I wouldn't do it either because when I did do privates (a few years ago) I liked to keep my jobs separate from each other to avoid difficulties. Besides, 25,000 won/hr. is way too low; even in 2005 the bare minimum was 30,000 won with 35,000 won considered the standard. |
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lifeinkorea
Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Location: somewhere in China
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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| I am guessing that the hagwon I work for enrolls elementary to middle school |
I have been here since 2007. My first hagwon was at GnB (which stands for Girls and Boys). I also taught adult lessons in the evening.
I don't think a hagwon is limited to age. It would be the first I heard of it. |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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Just say no. No need to go into any in-depth explanations unless you feel it's necessary.
Just say no and if they keep asking, just keep saying no until they get the message.
I had this happen when I first arrived in Korea, the teacher I was replacing tried to set me up with her own privates gig. I wasn't interested and told her no. She kept asking though and it got annoying, but I just said I wasn't interested. About a week after she left, the parent showed up at my classroom one day demanding that I teach his kids. He went on about how he had been a loyal customer at this hagwan for years, knew the boss well yada yada... and tried to imply that he would get me in trouble if I refused.
I just told him it was illegal and walked away.
If he was such a loyal customer, why was he trying to recruit me under the table and not going through normal channels? The answer is they will say or do anything to con you into doing something they know is not in your best interests.
Don't be rude, but do be firm. Just say no. |
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