Korean Job Discussion Forums

[vdowd]

Well it has been a really bad day at work today - all the foreign teachers are very angry with me. What do you think?

Here's the situation. On of the foreign teachers (my roommate) at our school decided to play sick for two Saturday's in a role in April. All the foreign teachers knew but said nothing. She asked me to be quiet too - the first time. I agreed because I knew she needed a break but said I would not lie for her.

But then she did it for 2 Saturdays in a row - means more work for every teacher on Saturday's - 7 classes for me but I could live with that (barely). She had been here for 7 months and decided to give 2 weeks notice and leved at teh end of May - no severence or ticket.

I was called in Friday night and asked to confirm what the director already knew - she was not sick. The director had already decided to deduct her missed classes (no sick pay) because she had not completed the contract. The Korean supervisor had been told by the Korean teachers that one teacher saw her buying supplies at the next door grocery store shortly after she left the school sick without teaching any classes. The first Saturday she had not answered her cell phone after she called in sick in the morning and the supervisor knew she was lying. Then she gave notice and missed the Saturday morning meeting.

The supervisor asked around and found out most of the story from other schools (what was happening in the foreign population those weekends). She also has some foreign friends in other schools.

My Director asked me out right if my co-worker had been sick on those days. I don't lie to people - I don't lie for others. I will keep silent if not asked out right. I confirmed that my co-worker(roomate) had not been sick - just had other plans (camping/party).

He thanked me. Remember this was Friday. Today is MOnday and she went in for her final pay. The Director told her she would be deducted fot the missed classes as she was not sick and he knew it. Then he said where she had been - I really don't know if the Korean supervisor provided those details or myself.

Anyhow - my prior roommate is staying in Korea until the 17th and is great friends with another teacher at our school who does not leave until July. He will barely speak to me now and I feel it will be a very stressful few months.

I just talked with my roommate and she doesn't want to talk about it. I feel that I was not in the wrong - I told her I would not lie! The director had already decided not to pay her sick days and had proof (other teachers seeing her), etc.

I also don't buy into the us versus them mentality. I have never missedc work in 2 1/2 years even when sick. My director has been honest with me and the other teachers and expects the same in return. I am a professional teacher and take my responsiblilties seriously. I also feel that her irresponsible behavior showed a lack of concern for all the teachers who feel just as negative about working Saturdays as she did.

What do you think? I guess I just am feeling bad that it turned out this way. I don't like to hurt or be at odds with others.

.

[rapier]

Its good to cover for fellow teachers a few times. But if it starts to hurt you and your own plans, because of their selfishness, ask/warn them first that you're not cool with it. If your co-worker shows a blatant disregard for you and your plans, then have no qualms about shopping them...
I don't necessarily go with the "us vs them" mentality either. We're all individuals, and many times Korean co workers can be a whole lot nicer than other wehgooks...

[inkoreaforgood]

Hey, when you're coworkers do stuff like that, call in sick when they really aren't, it sucks. You and your other coworkers gotta pick up the slack, while someone gets a get out of jail free card. You're not letting the coworker down, your coworker has already done that!!!

Same thing happened to a group of friends of mine, they all worked at the same school. The second time the coworker faked a sick call, everyone had had enough. They were all pissed as hell.

Also, your coworker has screwed up everyone else. When someone really is sick at your school, in the future, they will have a had time convincing the boss from now on. Cry wolf, and everyone is put out by it!!

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

Here's a great quote from a great movie ...

"You learned the two greatest things in life, never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut" ... De Niro in Goodfellas

I ain't no rat.

[Homer]

vdowd,

From the sounds of it you did what you had to.

If she chose to take sick days when not sick then she had to be ready to pay the piper if her employer found out.

Also, 2 saturdays in a row is asking for it.

[vdowd]

Thanks for the support - it makes me feel a bit better although I still dread the next few month with the teacher who is her very good friend as he is a very nice guy. And no that is not in a romantic way - he just is a friendly, well-rounded guy and yet he was the one who bore the brunt of her classes when she pulled a sick day.

As for the quote - don't be a rat on your friends and stay quiet - I did stay quite and just because we are foreigners, roommates, and co-workers doesn't mean we are friends.

As a roommate, she was not crazy or loud, did not party in and was pleasant enough. However, she did only clean 2 times in 8 months. She also did not replace the kitchen light even though whe said she would for over two months - I finally did it.

We had agreed to alternate weeks so we only cleaned the apartment twice a month each - however that would usually be once every two months on her part without the bathroom/kitchen. She agreed at Christmas that she had been faking it and would do better - however she cleaned even less after that.

She would frequently sweep the floor or only wash the main area of the kitchen and living room and would pretend that she has cleaned everything. Have you ever had to wash out a tub for a person who showers, bathes 2 to 3 daily after 3 weeks of dirt buildup?

Then add to this "at home" scenerio the fact that she felt that Saturday work was an imposition she could not endure. She once had a class scheduled for 4:30 Saturday and said she felt this was unfair and actually cried about it even though every other teacher finished at 6:00. These are the same teacher that had to work 1 - 2 extra classes every Saturday that she took off. And she only gave two weeks notice so that during May the 3 teachers left will be doiing the work of 4 teachers and you can see why I felt that she had taken advantage of her relationship to the foreign teachers in the school.

No one likes to work 6 days in a row but the other teachers(korean and foreign) all did it. I agree that sometimes you might just need a break but at whose expense is that break? And when does it become an infringement of others rights?

[Grotto]

If your co-workers have a problem with someone having some integrity 'SCREW EM'

The person was already leaving her contract early, screwed pretty much everyone at the school over not once but twice, without a doctors note she should not be able to claim the days as sick days. Just pull this up on the computer at school and leave it on....let your co-workers see how the rest of the world views your actions.

There is no reason anyone should have to lie for someone. If someone asked me the same question I would honestly answer.

[Guest]

I'd say you did the right thing. I wouldn't compromise my relationship with the boss (especially if you've been there over 2 years), for someone who is deliberately negligent. I would cover for someone who had a legitimate reason, but not for that.

[bjonothan]

I also think you did the right thing, but in my opinion. If my boss only allowed me to have shared housing then I would tell my boss to shove his job. Secondly I would have just played dumb about the whole thing. I don't believe in the us vs them crap but I do believe that we should kind of help each other out a bit. We all do stupid things and she sounded like she might want to change. Then maybe I am just a sucker.

[sadsac]

Stand tall, you did the right thing, why jeopardise two and a half years of good working relationship with your boss for the sake of a bonehead. You were quiet until confronted, you made that quite clear, that you would not lie for them. Well done.

[humanuspneumos]

Lots to take into account and always in Korea more than meets the eye- so- it's hard to say- "Good job" or "Bad job."

It's always tough having a room-mate or even others to work with with whom we are close in situations where someone takes time off. Yet my experience has been two-fold: some people like to be on the "in" with the boss and others force the boss to be the boss and leave them out of the spy loop.

Some people are such brown nosers that they cover for nobody and aren't part of the human race. This translates into persons who know another teacher is burned out and did legitimately need time off for whatever reasons to wind down after a series of events and yet almost want the owner to know that they weren't puking in the toilet. They don't always come out and just say it- "She's not sick." But through a series of smiles, body motions, hisses, laughs or whatever signals they give in the office- they might as well said- "She's not puking!"

This whole little game of "sick-leave" the schools play requires that the teacher almost has to be half-dead before even one class is skipped. That's just crap. What I don't know about this particular teacher is:

* whether or not Saturday teaching idea came after she arrived
* whether or not she had done tons of favors over her seven months
* whether or not she had been screwd in ways the newbies hadn't and so leaving some teachers brown-nose fresh and her burnt-out and legitimately in need of a camp/party trip a couple of Saturdays in a row.
* whether or not she was the kind of teacher who had covered/would have covered for others prior who got sick, needed time of, or ...


I've covered for tons of teachers, tons of days and hours and such covering covered time off for every reason under the sun. After having been badgered by enumerous directors, owners, ... I finally learned that simply saying- "Boy- that's a good question you'll have to ask bla, bla, bla that when she gets back." or "Well- he's your employee- why don't you just ask him. I'm not going to get into it." - poker face straight.


Even if people are out getting drunk- their relationship to the boss regarding that is theirs. I only look at the hardship of doing extra classes as "One day I'll need a favor and they can fill in." I kind of like having that trump card for when I need time off rather than months of strained relationships in the office for being point blank saying- "He's not sick." Hey- anyway- there are many forms of "sickness" from stress to the trotts.


I'm not saying you're a brown-noser. It takes time to finally learn the game- leave the fight between the owner and HIS teacher. Simply point the owner that direction.

[Juggertha]

Ok, so this teacher is un-happy at work, going out on weekend benders, calling in sick, shirking duties and really not pulling thier weight around the Apt.

So far I have little sympathy for them. BUT I do understand that every story has two sides.

So many people have advised you to stay out of it... I was baout to do the same. I guess every situation is different.

For me being on my third contract at the same school and being great friends with my boss (BTW everyone is in my school) If someone came into our school and tried these stunts.. they'd be out on thier ear in a week. I have a vested interest in my school and my kids.

If ya want to slack, keep the backpack on and keep heading south! If your here to work... then do so. If you have mental/stress problems and are unable to fulfill your contract, give notice and leave.. quickly!



*this being said last month one of our koran teachers (hard workin' girl) fell prey to some physical stress ailments. well all covered her shifts gladly till she felt better. Prior to and after (years prior) she had been more than a solid team member.

[Hagwon Muppet]

In this situation I think I would simply have stuck to the 'I have no idea' line. Best not to get involved.

If you really objected to her taking Saturdays off then I think it would have been better to say to her first.

Of course everyone has a different way of going about things and I certainly don't think you should feel bad about what you did or be getting any hassle for it.

Hagwons in Korea are a funny situation...its not really 'us and them' but it seems like noone knows what they are doing and it becomes 'me vs everyone else' at times.

I think the biggest problem with hagwons is the different expectations on everyone's parts. Lets face it...if someone called in sick on a Saturday for their job in Home Depot or Wal-Mart noone would bat an eyelid. In a hagwon situation its totally different.

[sparkx]

I really can't agree that you did the right thing allowing yourself to get caught in the middle of this. It seems, based on your follow up comments, that you held a bit of a grudge for your roomate.

I had a similar situation happen to me last year. A co-worker was taking a day off about once every two weeks to see her friends, snowboard, sightsee, etc. When the boss approached me to ask if she was really sick I just said, "What do I look like a fricken doctor? How would I know if she's really sick? I'm standing right here beside you aren't I?

[vdowd]

Glad to have given someone a chuckle about the light. At the time it was just annoying but I guess I just threw in that detail as an example of the fact that she was not pulling her weight at home or at school. No I don't have a "hate" on for her lack of cleaning - I have lived with others who have been much worse. I just do what I have to do to stay pleasant and sane and I know that in time it will be over - they will move on.

Some of you gave me some supportive answers but I want to that the few who also gave me some suggestions that I might use if the situation occurs again - the ones I liked the best were to speak directly to my co-worker and to tell the director to ask my co-worker to respond to his question about her absences.

The first time this teacher took Saturday off - I really understood that she probably needed it. However, I did not expect that she would come back with the decision to terminate her contract at the end of 8 months, take the next Saturday off and then give a 2 week notice. I told her the second Saturday that we all felt the need of a day off and felt she should go in - however, I could have been more explicit about my feelings that she was taking advantage of her co-workers.

I don't think I am a "brown noser" - I have succesfully stayed out of the loop for over two years and there have been several times that various teachers have missed work for less than "real" reasons. I have always just covered for the classes without comment.

This time I was asked directly about the situation and felt that I had to be true to my beliefs - I try not to lie to others as that usually comes back to bite you in the ass. I think that maybe my roommate is angrier at herself than me for that reason - however it might take her a bit of time and distance to realize that. If the situation occurs again, I think I will respond that the director should talk directly to the teacher involved.

Thanks for the suggestions.