Korean Job Discussion Forums

kelly · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

Well my contract is finished in August meaning that I've been teaching at this school for two years, I've had enough and need a change, but I just heard from one of the Korean teachers this morning that my boss told them that he wanted me to stay one more year(no way!) and that if I didnt he wouldn't give me my severance pay and would make it very hard for me to get a new job....what to do folks???

prairieboy · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Location: The batcave.

So you will be owed two years of severance? So we're talking around 4 million won or more possibly.

If he doesn't pay you your severance then go to the labour board and file a complaint.

Another thing you could do is try to find a suitable replacement to show him you like the place enough to help out with finding a new teacher. This would help him save recruiter fees and his time.

That's the best I can come up with. Unless you are planning to leave Korea for a while. In that case you could tell him you have a job lined up at home that starts a couple of weeks after you return. He's going to prevent you from returning to your home country by not paying your severance for a job in your home country? Doesn't sound like something that's logical but then again, stranger things have happened to people who I know in similar positions.

Cheers and good luck to you

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

No worries.

If he tells you this himself, ask him what he is offering you for year three besides threats. Say you want a new apartment, four weeks paid holiday, a raise of 400,000 per month, a reduction in hours, plus a new laptop for work purposes. If he refuses and threatens you further, well............

Tell him you are changing jobs, you need your severance by law, and you will make it very hard for him to hire new teachers in the future or to keep the ones he gets. After all, you know where the school is, where the new teachers will likely live, and most of the people the new teachers will have to talk to.

bibimbap · Joined: 14 Dec 2003

don't be afraid of the legal route. i heard about a case recently where the teacher sued for their severance with help of the labour board and got their money within a month. no legal fees.

we need more cases like this.

Homer · Guest