Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jim Romaine]

I signed a written contract and got the owners to sign it about me leaving my job early. I was going to leave the job 3 months ago but they convinced me to stay until the end of the term. I have a signed contract that they are responsible for my visa termination, airline ticket, and letter of reference. I am going home for two weeks and coming back to work at another school.
I applied for a new job and they were wanting to hire me. I gave them my employer as a reference. He told them that they have to buy me out and pay extra money. The contract that he signed binds him to his promise to me, doesn't it? Who do I go to about this? I may lose out on this great position because he's screwing me over. He told me last week that he was going to give me an excellent reference because of the teaching job I did at his school.
There must be someone I can take this issue to. This is causing me a lot of unwanted stress. If I don't get this new position because of him, am I able to to sue him or something by Korean Law. I'm not sure. Please be kind enough to reply to this.
Thanks,
Jim

[Derrek]

You need to post your question on the EFL-Law site. You need answers from a lawyer, not these yahoos.

www.efl-law.com

and forum is here:

http://www.koreabridge.com/forums/index.htm

This is exactly what I was worried my recent old employer was going to try to do to me, but didn't. I got a release letter signed.

You also need to go to the Labor Board. They are there to help mediate these disputes, and they are fair. But you need to do things properly. They are there to help people who are getting screwed by Hagwons and the like. That contact information is on the EFL Law site now.

Tell your employer you are going to the Labor Board to sort this out. That itself might be enough to scare him into giving you a signed letter of release. You still should go there anyway, because they owe you something, right? I think you'll win.

Move fast.

[Corky]

Maybe try finding someone to replace you. Your boss is probably worried about one thing. No teacher, no money.

[rapier]

Your employer only agreed to let you go early because he's settled for some sort of compensation, in his mind. Its common practice among hakwons to sell your slave to the next owner, if he leaves before the end of his contract.
Look at it from his perspective. You're quitting before the agreed time. he's invested a lot of money in you. He wants some compensation for his failed business venture.
thus, it doesn't make much sense that he signed a contract agreeing to provide visa termination for you.
what makes you think your new job will be so great? it will still be in Korea, with koreans...

[Jim Romaine]

My fiancee lives a couple hours from me and we're travelling everyday now. That's why the job will be better. I checked out the references and the school and it was great but the best thing is I we won't have to travel.
That's why I need the letter of release. I enjoy teaching over here. I could have left the job when we got engaged but they promised me i would be assured everything that I had written on the new contract and signed it.

[The Man known as The Man]

Jim Romaine, people lie every day.

Have a take, don't suck, Jim Romaine.

OUT

[J.B. Clamence]

What do you mean by you could have left 3 months ago? Did your old contract run out three months ago? How long do you have left on your current contract?

edit:

Taking another look at it, I'm a bit confused by your story Jim.

November 13: You posted here telling us that your fiancee was working for a school for a month and a half, but didn't want to go to Japan to get a visa like the school was expecting because she was planning on skipping out on that job a month later to come live with you.

December 16: You posted telling us you are a tourist living in Korea with your fiancee. You also say that you are on your way to Thailand for a vacation, but your visa expires three days before you're supposed to leave.

Now less than 2 months later, all of a sudden you're a teacher who wanted to skip out of his job 3 months ago, but didn't for some reason, and now you're skipping out.

If you were a tourist less than 2 months ago, how could you have almost left your current teaching job 3 months ago?

And with all of this job-skipping going on, can you really blame these hakwon owners for being overly suspicious of their teachers and lying to them to try to keep them around? I'm not trying to condone their dishonesty, but it's fair in such cases to point out that one of the main motivations for it is their feeling of a need to protect themselves from teachers who they invest in, and then leave after a couple months because they miss their sweetheart. "My employer Lied!!"? It looks to me like there's a lot of that going around here in many different directions.

[Ilsanman]

I just say 'get used to it'. This country, in my experience, has trouble with the truth.

I also say 'one good turn deserves another'. If my boss lies to me, I feel no guilt doing it right back. Also, if Jimbo is in fact a liar, I applaud his boss for doing it right back to him.

[rapier]

I say both director and eslteacher should try to see eachother's perspective a bit more.

Director: I spent a fortune getting this waeguk over here and providing a good salary and accomodation for him. he signed for a year but now he wants to leave..what about my students and parents? Where am i going to find a replacement? I want some compensation, I feel cheated.

teacher: Dammit, the director signed a contract to release me from my contract without causing any difficulties for me, now he goes back on it. I feel cheated.

The worlds problems stem from peoples inability to put themselves in someone elses place, and each thinks he's the victim.

[ratslash]

WHAT!?!?!? someone lied to you in korea?!!? r u sure?!?!? no, it can't be!!!
or you positive they actually lied?!?

welcome to korea dude.

[Jim Romaine]

This issue has been solved. It was worked out very quickly.

[Jim Romaine]

This message was wrote for my fianceee not me

[hellofaniceguy]

My employer Lied!! Gesh.......... Tell us something new that korean's don't do.

[Ilsanman]

They don't tell the truth.

[Jim Romaine]

I wrote this for my fiancee, and we did get things straightened out. Thanks for the replies.