Korean Job Discussion Forums

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

is this a good idea.....?
long story short - my boss tricked me into coming here and living inside the hogwan. i refused, and it has taken him a week to get me the slum i have now.
he wont give me a release, so i want to get fired.
here is what i want to do-
every morning, i want to spend a couple of hours picketing in front of the hogwan with a sign that says, in korean....'my director brought me to korea on a lie'...or something to that effect.

as i am quite emotional after a week long argument, supplemented by poor sleep and 9 classes a day...i need some serious advice.
i am meeting with the labor board tomorrow morning.

The Lemon · Joined: 11 Jan 2003

Can you point to a part of your contract that he has violated? You say the accoms he has put you in now are a "slum". That's subjective. Is it a contract violation? This will be the critical question to be answered.

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

i doubt he has broken the contract. i will find out tomorrow.
however, i want to get an opinion if it is better to get fired or gamble on returning with a tourists visa.

The Lemon · Joined: 11 Jan 2003

I guess I'm not following. If he's honoring the contract you both agreed to, why won't you?

We have bad names we call hogwon owners that violate contracts. and rightfully so. But do we have names for teachers who do the same?

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

he had me stay in a yogwan for a good part of the week and refuses to pay for it. he refuses to even give me an advance to help me pay for it. the apartment is only partially ready now, and is still not furnished with the basics he contracted. i can sleep there, but it's still dirty from the last tenant, and the wallpaper and floor are all fucked up.

lunachick · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Standing outside the school with a poster could be construed as slander, and open you up to criminal charges- not good.

Try going the legit route and contacting some of these people.

Good luck.

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

Sounds to me like you are expecting sweet ass digs.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT YOU ARE GOING TO GET FOR FREE?

Seriously...when people complain about how crappy places are, I wonder.

If it was THAT bad you could always get your own place.

If the guy isn't living up to your expectations you could always leave.

phaedrus · Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Location: I'm comin' to get ya.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Personally i can't understand the lack of sympathy in the replies so far. Its harsh to arrive in a bewildering new country and be treated like cr*p from day one, in such a blatant manner.
Staying in a yeogwan sucks. So does paying for it when you're not supposed to be, and are rightfully anxious about any future with this school. Never mind trying to actually do a good job while all this is going on.
try to negotiate an improvement. If no go, get the hell out. plenty other jobs. If your E2 is banjaxed, get thee to Taiwan or Japan.

VanIslander · Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2004 3:57 am Post subject:

Whatever the labour board says take with a grain of salt, especially if it involves stall tactics. Don't expect them to help much, but do it nonetheless.

It's good to go to the labour board and do the process to know you've tried to do something and to communicate to your director through your actions that you won't be accepting the conditions as is.

After Monday, consider your alternatives.

Mr. Pink suggests you could get your own apartment.
rapier says you could go to Taiwan.

If these are feasible options, then you have leverage.

(1) Tell your employer what your absolute basic needs are (not wants, the bare bone minimum).

(2) Should he be unable to provide adequate accommodation, you could state you'll need, say, 200,000 W more a month to offset half the cost of getting your own apartment. (I suggest this route if you live in one of the major cities because future opportunities with other employers would be possible.)

(3) Give your director two weeks' notice. And be firm in your statement, but NOT angry. Getting visibly emotional gets you nowhere with Koreans, it just offends their sense of composure and harms the relationship (loss of 'face'). Chances are, if you give notice that the last day of the month will be your last day of work there, and don't waiver or argue the point, you'll suddenly find yourself with a better place to stay. (Giving notice is the clearest and most direct way of stating your position.)

After taking these steps you can leave with a good conscience, if it comes to that: you tried your best to resolve the situation.

Good luck.

And don't take the director's actions too personally. It's a small business trying to minimize costs in a typically Korean fashion. Do what you can and make the best of it.

Homer · Guest

shawner88 · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

I too can't understand the lack of support. Living in the hagwon, then a yeogwan, then a dumpy appartment that wasn't even cleaned? Not only that but teaching 9 classes in a single day? Those of you bashing this poor guy probably have decent setups and working conditions. I for one have been through some hard jobs and can relate to the OP. Especially being so new, he could use more encouragement than accusations. Some of you automatically jump on the hagwon's side almost instinctively. If a newbie in a mess can't come here for support, where can he go? It doesn't sound like he's whining or complaining to me. Look at his situation! Do you want to live in a hawgon? a yeogwan? a dump for a year? teach 9 classes in a day?

If you have the courage to picket, by all means do so. Maybe it will put the spotlight on your boss, hell the whole dubios release letter issue for that matter...

Unfortunately your boss is apt to blow his lid if he's sees you. Better be careful. You don't know what kinds of connections he could have and the police are apt to take his side becuase they're Korean. Also, he probably has a key to your apartment, so you'd better get your stuff out ahead of time.

If all else fails, just leave the country and return and try again...

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

To all who think i am whining about nothing... i made it explicitly clear to my big rich boss man that my living conditions were of paramount importance to me. I have 3years experience in ESL in 2 countries, and i was expected to teach 8 hour days. In return for this, I asked for more. He assured me that everything would be peachy. I even reiterated my concerns to the recruiter who nabbed me. The apartment details were not on the contract...You can all jump on me for trusting his verbal assurances.

So, i arrive after a 20hour connected flight at 3am....I paid the airfare myself. I am taken to the hogwan where i am expected to spend the night. The shower is on the balcony and the bathroom is open to the public. I refused on the spot and he suggested i stay at the family pad.
I suggested a motel. He refuses to pay. I work 6 days, 9classes a day this week, still paying for a yogwan. I ask him face to face if he is willing to provide what he agreed to...he calls me rude. He takes his time looking for another place. I finally have the chance to move in at 6pm on a sunday night. The place is filthy. There is just a bed, and a table and chairs. The wallpaper and floor are peeling off.
Tomorrow i teach 9 classes again.

So, if any of you want to trade places with me, you are welcome to it!

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

the eye,

Good luck with the labor board.
It is hard to find a decent place these days.
Perhaps, people should stop coming to Korea to work.
You think you have a good deal.
You try to make sure. You arrive and the deal is terrible.
It seems like bait and switch.

From EFL LAW
If you discover the accommodation offered to be like below, REFUSE to move in and DEMAND the employer place you in hotel at his Cost, until he can provide you with suitable accommodation.

If you are living in Korea and feel your accommodation is unacceptable, please do send us the pictures and the contract clause that relates to the accommodation.
E-mail to efl-law.com: http://efl-law.com/emailqns.html

EFL Law Forum
http://www.koreabridge.com/forums/index.php?showforum=22

We believe by exposing the frightful conditions some teachers are placed in, the quicker the authorities will begin to do something to control this.
http://efl-law.com/contracts_accomodation_warnings.html

kiwiboy_nz_99 · Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Location: ...Enlightenment...

The picketting is NOT a good idea and it won't get you anywhere. Find out how many days you need to give notice, it will be in your contract. It is likely to be 30, or 60, I've heard of 90 too, let's hope it's not the latter.

Give notice. Then you can leave with a release letter, as long as you are perfect at work in the remaining time. He CAN'T refuse you a release letter if you give the correct amount of notice and do your job properly. He might try to get you to believe this, but he can't withold it. You will easily be able to get the Labour Board to force him to write the letter. That way you can stay here and look for other work. That's much cheaper than going to another country, plus you'll be on the ground and able to interveiw and really check out future work places thoroughly. My personal advice, DON'T try to work things out with this mug, get the hell out, but do it legally.