Korean Job Discussion Forums

[special_k]

Ok so, I am working for a very dodgy Hagwon with my boyfriend. We have been here for 5 months and have been paid only 2 months salary.

My family have flights booked for next week (they are here for 2 weeks), so I have hung on until now before fighting. We have been told that we will be fired if we go to the labour board, but now we are ready to go.

We got evicted from our apartment last night as no rent was paid, but we have moved in to a new one. I doubt the deposit has been paid on this, so the sooner we take this bitch to court the better.

She also agreed to me taking 2 weeks off holiday, which today she has decided to change her mind about. I am going to take this time off as my grandparents have paid for this holiday to be with me. This is another reason where I fear I will be fired.

But, we have decided to go to the labour board now. I just don't want to be fired and deported before my family have left.


So if anyone knows if there is a time limit on deportation then please let me know.

Also, the Hagwon is almost definitely going to bust within a month. All our Korean co-workers quit this week and we are now the only 2 teachers. If the school goes bust, will be be entitled to our pay?


Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

[ttompatz]

[Boodleheimer]

how long until *6* months? that's the minimum for the labor board actually helping you.

[david]

I am in a reasonably similar situation. I was fired from a job in mid September. My former employer went to Immigration to report that I was no longer working and that sponsorship of my visa was withdrawn. Am I permitted thirty days from the date that my former employer went to immigration or am I given less time because I was not physically present when the visa was cancelled?

[Troglodyte]

Normally they can't fire you on the spot. Unless you've broken the law, they have to give you 30 days notice. Even if your contract doesn't say it (or if it says less) they have to give you 30 days notice. If you contract says more, then they have to give you the higher number of days.

If the boss fires you, get it in writing and go to the labor board to make an official complaint. If they gave you less that 30 days notice, then that's one thing they did wrong, if they fired you without a legitimate reason, then that's another wrong they did. If you've been here less than 6 months the labor board will do nothing for you. Even if you've been here longer, there's still a good chance that they'll do nothing to help you. I hear that they're getting better about forcing hogwans to pay money owed to teachers, but I can't say from experience. But if nothing else, it will go on the owners record and make problems for her in the future. It might also draw unwanted attention to her and her business dealings.

If you want to stir up some trouble, then first make sure that you both have a new set of documents. A lot of schools will prefer to hire someone who's already in Korea because they can do an in person interview AND a visa run to Japan is cheaper. As well, after you leave Korea, you can come back for 90 days as a tourist. Many hogwans like this because they can get you working from day one while they process your visa application and then quickly shuffle you off to Fukuoka for a weekend to get a new visa.

[ttompatz]

[special_k]

Thank you so much for your reply, it makes me feel a lot better!

Fingers crossed

[CentralCali]

[Troglodyte]