Korean Job Discussion Forums

cseid · Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 9:32 am Post subject: Vacation Problems

I planned a trip to China. My brother was coming to visit me. I told them I wanted a non-paid vacation. At first they were ok with all of this. No problem.

Then they hired some new guy in the educational office in my county on July 1. Next thing I know they tell me that I can't go to China, which was suppose to be next month in August. I can't see my brother. I hadn't seen him in two years. This trip has been planned and I lost a lot of money because of the cancellation. They are threatening to fire me if I leave Korea. They back stabbed me.

Instead, I'm being forced against my will to teach 4 weeks of summer camp. I know most places have 2 weeks of summer camp. There are also previous teachers who didn't have summer camp for this school. I dub this place slave labor and I'm working for a dictator.

I'm going to have to fight just to get two days off before Chuseok holiday because I'm going to visit my boyfriend in Chicago. I'm starting to believe the only way I'm getting those days is if I'm marrying him. They seem to have given me no other choice in the matter. Get married so I can have the days I want. I'm also not ready to get married, but they leave me no choice.

Tell me how any of this is fair? Do I have any options in my situation besides breaking my contract? This place is a public school, but it might as well have been a Hagwon given the crap I'm dealing with.

amcnutt · Joined: 22 Mar 2010

That really sucks. It's too bad you had to cancel a trip you were looking forward to with your brother.
What vacation time are you permitted in your contract? I'm not sure how public school works, but with hagwons we only have 2 weeks (1 in july, 1 in december). If it is like that, then I would personally schedule my trips when i know that i have the time off for sure. Most schools won't just let you decide your time of vacation, be it paid or non-paid. They would need someone to cover your classes. So the situation sucks, but if all of this is following your contract details then it is fair.
Why doesn't your brother come and try to visit you in S. Korea if you haven't seen him in 2 years?

Ginormousaurus · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Location: 700 Ft. Pulpit

ThingsComeAround · Joined: 07 Nov 2008

#1: Did you get the permission in writing??

If you had, then you could have taken the school to the labor board after you enjoyed the trip to see your brother, and only if they tried to "fire" you.

#2: What does your contract say about camps?

cseid · Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 3:22 pm Post subject:

cseid · Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 3:26 pm Post subject:

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

What does it say in your contract about vacation time. You should be getting 14-20 working days vacation. Working days means from Monday-Friday weekends and public holidays don't count. If you took two calender weeks in the winter vacation you should some time you can add to the mandatory 2 weeks unpaid leave. Most public schools also have a section in the contract where they ask you to make a request in writing about when you plan to take your vacation. This is usually at least a month before your vacation time.

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

I'd get that Chuseok thing is writing ASAP.

amcnutt · Joined: 22 Mar 2010

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

Sorry to hear about your situation OP. I have some bad news for you. Your school never planned on letting you take the extra holidays - they just didn't want to say "No" to you (confucian thing). They just use the 'New guy in the POE " as a throw away excuse to save their face. How do I know this? Well, my Public school last year did the same thing to me (twice) , and it cost me a bundle in cancellation fees. After the second cancellation I resigned and took back my re-signing for another year form.

Don't trust your school about further holidays. EPIK principals have been on a 'get the most out of your foreigner during vacation time" conference in Seoul (my principal told me this), and we all have to do UNPAID camps now. Also, 99.9% of GET's are only getting statutory 8 days this summer vacation (in my district it is 100%).

Don't be bitter - it's just that the EPIK program has fallen to bits (in my district, anyway). Allowances not paid, overtime not paid, holidays reduced etc, it's all new and it's all here to stay (while there's so many young grads desperately seeking work).

Good luck. Keep us posted.

cseid · Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 8:32 pm Post subject:

They just told me that if I get married, they will fire me. WTF! In the contract it says I'm allowed 7 days. How wrong is this?

tophatcat · Joined: 09 Aug 2006 Location: under the hat

tophatcat · Joined: 09 Aug 2006 Location: under the hat

cseid · Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 9:19 pm Post subject:

The Grumpy Senator · Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Location: Up and down the 6 line