Korean Job Discussion Forums

Palladium · Joined: 26 Apr 2009 Location: Korea

Over the weekend, I was talking to another EPIK teacher in the little country town I live in. He told they are doing individual drug testing AT THE SCHOOL. He said a technician and a cop went to the school he was teaching at and did a urine test on the spot. From what he said, the cop is there to make sure you take the test on demand (and arrest you if you fail the test?). Evidently, they are testing for amphetamines, THC and God knows what else. Has anyone else heard of this?

OculisOrbis · Joined: 17 Jul 2006

i havent heard of that happening in my area.

sounds like somebody filed a complaint with the police or snitched on the teacher to get them in trouble. could be that the teachers number was found in the cellphone of someone they arrested and theyre looking for known associates. or maybe their school requested it. whatever the case may be, it's not a good impression of the level of trust foreign teachers receive.

were the korean teachers requested to provide samples? does anyone know if you can refuse to provide if they cant/wont inform you of the cause to request the sample?

vonnegutjr · Joined: 24 Mar 2009

I haven't heard about this at the public schools. I have heard of it at other places and this has only happened when there is reason to believe that you may be invloved with illegal drug use, sale, etc. Maybe some one gets in trouble for using a substance and then gets caught and your phone number is in their cellphone. Then they may associate you or your workplace with using the substance and test you.

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 11:37 pm Post subject:

I have only heard stories from "friends of friends" so take it with a grain of salt, but apparently if word gets around that your group of friends is bad and the school doesn't approve, you may get asked to do a drug test because they don't trust the people you associate with. My friend said he knew someone and they got tested, as well as all of the other people they hung out with because the education office thought they might be doing drugs.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

Never heard of such a thing.

Probably just somebody got pissed off at the FT at that particular school and said something to the relevant officials.

So watch your back and what you say to other people be they Korean or foreigner.

gnomead · Joined: 28 Jan 2009

Interesting. I thought I'd browse recent posts before doing a search about this and lo and behold I found this near the top.

I was "asked" by my hagwon yesterday to take a medical exam involving a blood and urine test by the end of the month at a clinic of their choosing. They wouldn't say exactly what it was for but they've also asked other NTs at my branch and others to take the test. Instead of being provided with details I was told "It's just for you." and not to worry "The school will pay for it." So far all the NTs at one other branch have refused the test but I'm not sure how the school has responded yet. Rumor has it that it all stemmed from a NT at another branch having a brush with the law involving some smoking paraphenilia.

However, according to the NT liason from the head office this test is the government mandated medical exam and is required every 2 years by all company employees, not just NTs. They worded their response to my inquiry to make it sound like it's a new government policy but I'm pretty sure they're just referring to the existing government mandated exam that all English teachers take upon arrival from overseas. If that's the case then why are we all being asked to take it again, some of us within 2 months of the original "mandated" test?

If this is a drug screening why are they trying to play it off as some new government mandated exam and not telling us what it's actually for? Not that I'm worried about failing a UA at the moment but I'm not crazy about being subjected to random testing, least of all under such shady circumstances. Now, if I'd just gotten back from Thailand I'd be sweating bullets.

I don't know if this has anything to do with the rumor about the EPIK testing, there aren't any cops showing up at my work and making us piss in a cup, but I'd like to hear what others think about it. Maybe it's a coincidence or maybe a pattern will emerge.

calicoe · Joined: 23 Dec 2008 Location: South Korea

Interesting. I was recently handed a form and asked to take another medical exam/test last week, although I am not yet up for renewal and just had one last year upon entering the Country. I was under the impression we didn't need to take these tests every year as well.

Scouse Mouse · Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Location: Cloud #9

I had my Government mandated medical test 2 days ago, and yes it is required of all Company and Government employees every 2 years. I had one 2 years prior to this when I worked in PS.

I had my height/weight checked, followed by sight and hearing. Then they drew blood. I then had my psychiatric evaluation (hilarious), was told to pee in a cup, and then I had a chest X-Ray.

I also had a choice of 3 other tests, from which I had to choose one. They could check out my stomach (camera down the throat), check out my bowels (camera in through the out door), or an ultrasound to check out my liver. I chose the ultrasound Wink

Finally I had a dental checkup.

It took around an hour in total and was pretty painless.

gnomead · Joined: 28 Jan 2009

Scouse,

Was that 2 year exam in addition to the one you had at the start of your first contract? I took the initial medical exam 6 months ago so I'm trying to figure out if the test I'm being asked to take is really just the 2 year test or something else. If there really is a 2 year exam in addition to the initial exam then I guess I don't have anything to worry about and there shouldn't be any screening for certain substances, but it's the first time I or any of the other NTs have heard about it, some of whom are on their second contract with this company and have been in Korea for 4 or 5 years.

shcforward · Joined: 27 Sep 2009

They recently asked me and the other native English speaking teachers at my institute to take the government-mandated health checkup.

They also asked one of the Korean teachers. The other Korean teachers had gotten theirs done last year.

I complained that I just had to get a more intense medical checkup to renew my contract a few months ago, and my co-teacher made some calls. Long story short, if you have to get the official government checkup, but you've had a checkup pretty recently, there is a form you can fill out so you don't have to go get another one.

Of course, one teacher's contract ended the day after they informed us about the medical checkups, and they still wanted her to get it. Her co-teacher was smart though - called the insurance company that had to pay for her checkup, and since they were paying, they saw the logic of just letting her go home without a checkup.

Scouse Mouse · Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Location: Cloud #9

gnomead · Joined: 28 Jan 2009

420bro · Joined: 15 Dec 2006

The test the school is asking you to do isnt for immigration, but it is mandatory for all govt. employees. It is a FREE health test and absolutely not a drug test. The do take urine but they arent going to bother testing it for THC. It is pretty standard and nothing to worry about. Jump through the hoops and do it rather than kicking up a big stink for nothing.