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cobradiner
Joined: 14 Oct 2010
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 Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:03 pm Post subject: Quitting my job - looking for general tips and etc |
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I have six weeks left at my old job, and I'm looking to stay in Korea. I'm currently job searching, but the next six weeks my boss implied she's going to make my life hell now. I'm currently going through a lot of hate and stress all directed at me at my job, so I would like to know how to move on and secure my next job.
How my decent hagwon turned into a nightmare overnight: I've always had some disputes and problems with my boss from day one, but we've managed to comprise many times. A couple of weeks ago I was asked to do a lengthy assignment outside of my working hours because I wasn't given proper planning time to do it. I now no longer have sufficient planning time (I used to) because I have to constantly watch over my kids, so I told my boss this was not fair. In my contract, it says I'm given one hour of planning by myself, with co-teachers, to make syllabuses, but to also supervise kids.
As soon as I mentioned overtime pay, she flipped out and became emotional. Ever since then she has tried to make my life a ****hole by barging into my class telling my teaching is horrible because I can't control 3 year old kids 5 hours at a time. She has taken my little lesson plan freedom as well forcing me to teach to the TEXTBOOKS she gave me for kindergarten. I've been yelled at in class for trying to use games and also for when my kids ripped and crumbled the worksheets I gave them. I'm given minor tasks to do during my class as well, and it's impossible to constantly watch my kids while doing them. I have a co-teacher, but I'm expected to do everything now. I know now she is doing this intentionally, so I would quit this week. This will probably continue for the next 6 weeks though.
Unfortunately, I think I've lost any fighting ground because although I've been coming to work on time recently I was late many times my first months here coming in 10 minutes late. Yeah I'm not perfect, but it looks like we teachers have to be when in Korea. What should I do regarding my visa because I don't think she'll give me the release letter. Do I go about my day at work as normally as possible? Also, she has threatened to doc my pay because I've been late many times before. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 12:19 am Post subject: |
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Leaving a contract early, no LOR then your ONLY choice will be to make a trip out of the country, hand in your ARC on the way out (to cancel your status of sojourn), return as a tourist and begin the E2 process all over again.
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cobradiner
Joined: 14 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 5:29 am Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
Leaving a contract early, no LOR then your ONLY choice will be to make a trip out of the country, hand in your ARC on the way out (to cancel your status of sojourn), return as a tourist and begin the E2 process all over again.
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Can I be blacklisted as a teacher for doing something like this?? If I'm back home doing interviews for schools, then will they know I ran from my last school?? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 6:20 am Post subject: |
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| cobradiner wrote: |
| ttompatz wrote: |
Leaving a contract early, no LOR then your ONLY choice will be to make a trip out of the country, hand in your ARC on the way out (to cancel your status of sojourn), return as a tourist and begin the E2 process all over again.
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Can I be blacklisted as a teacher for doing something like this?? If I'm back home doing interviews for schools, then will they know I ran from my last school?? |
Your hagwan (or the hagwan association that they belong to) may blacklist you on a private blacklist. Public employment blacklists are illegal under the labor standards act.
Immigration won't care.
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cobradiner
Joined: 14 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 6:59 am Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| cobradiner wrote: |
| ttompatz wrote: |
Leaving a contract early, no LOR then your ONLY choice will be to make a trip out of the country, hand in your ARC on the way out (to cancel your status of sojourn), return as a tourist and begin the E2 process all over again.
. |
Can I be blacklisted as a teacher for doing something like this?? If I'm back home doing interviews for schools, then will they know I ran from my last school?? |
Your hagwan (or the hagwan association that they belong to) may blacklist you on a private blacklist. Public employment blacklists are illegal under the labor standards act.
Immigration won't care.
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So if I'm blacklisted, then finding another hagwon job will be next to impossible, right?
I REALLY appreciate the quick responses. I've put a lot of thought into how to handle this situation, but I need all the help I can get.
Ok, so there are three options I see.
1. My boss gives me my LOR, then I can easily secure my next job. I'll find out tomorrow if she will. They are not legally liable to give you one right? Is it a matter of if they do or don't hate your guts completely?
2. If I don't get a LOR, then I may still be able to apply for another E-2 Visa while in Korea right? My FBI background check is still fresh for another 10 days actually, so I I would just need to get a letter of recommendation, my transcript, and some small documents I think. Do I have to leave the country in order to restart the process?
3. The midnight run. If she doesn't give me my LOR, then she deserves it right? Along with all the other unnecessary crap she has given me makes it fair I hope. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 8:09 am Post subject: |
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| cobradiner wrote: |
So if I'm blacklisted, then finding another hagwon job will be next to impossible, right?
I REALLY appreciate the quick responses. I've put a lot of thought into how to handle this situation, but I need all the help I can get.
Ok, so there are three options I see.
1. My boss gives me my LOR, then I can easily secure my next job. I'll find out tomorrow if she will. They are not legally liable to give you one right? Is it a matter of if they do or don't hate your guts completely?
2. If I don't get a LOR, then I may still be able to apply for another E-2 Visa while in Korea right? My FBI background check is still fresh for another 10 days actually, so I I would just need to get a letter of recommendation, my transcript, and some small documents I think. Do I have to leave the country in order to restart the process?
3. The midnight run. If she doesn't give me my LOR, then she deserves it right? Along with all the other unnecessary crap she has given me makes it fair I hope. |
You may be blacklisted in the neighborhood (GU) that your school was in.
There are lots of other GU's in Korea so it is no big worry.
1) They are NOT obligated to release you and give you a LOR. You ARE legally entitled to quit and there is NOTHING they can do to prevent it.
2) If you do NOT get a LOR and your contract has not expired then you have to:
a) leave the country and hand in your ARC to cancel your visa.
b) return to Korea, find a new job and begin the E2 visa process again.
c) you need to re-submit all documents for a new E2. (I hope you have hard copies with apositlles handy).
d) AFTER you find a new job and the employer has obtained a NEW visa confirmation number for you - you will have to make a visa run to (Japan) and get a new E2. The new employer usually pays for this trip.
3) midnight run is doing #2 the day after payday (and not telling her) cause you can bet you won't see your last month's pay if you are quitting early and she knows about it.
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cyui
Joined: 10 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:07 am Post subject: |
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| Sounds like my old boss |
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Oreovictim
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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You have six weeks left. DON'T let your boss win. Of course the psychopath is acting, well, psycho so that you'll leave. Just be a smart a$$ and say, "MA'AM! Yes, MA'AM!" like it's boot camp or something.
Seriously, just stick it out. It will be difficult, sure, but do you really want her to keep your severance and airfare money?
You can do it! |
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Blackthorne
Joined: 02 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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With six weeks to go, I'd tough it out. You don't have much time left, and when it's over, you can breathe easy, and hopefully get your severance/airfare.
It sounds like hell. Stay strong and I hope it works out. |
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cyui
Joined: 10 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Come work for us-we're always looking for good, smart people. |
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daisydew
Joined: 07 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:10 am Post subject: what about f4 people? |
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I have a friend (currently he has no internet) who is working at a hagwon and within 2 weeks they have switched some stuff on him (extended his working hours by 2, and started his day 4 hours later than they originally said) and also given him some really poor housing. like some koreans wouldnt want to live there.
if he's on an F4, can he quit now and only give 2 weeks notice without penalties? (as opposed to the 1 month his contract says). he got another offer but has to start in 3 weeks. also the hagwon owner is saying he needs to pay back the recruiter fee and cancellation of the housing penalty. does he really have to? theyre saying oh it's in the contract but what's the worst that could happen if he just doesnt go after a couple of weeks? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:42 am Post subject: Re: what about f4 people? |
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| daisydew wrote: |
I have a friend (currently he has no internet) who is working at a hagwon and within 2 weeks they have switched some stuff on him (extended his working hours by 2, and started his day 4 hours later than they originally said) and also given him some really poor housing. like some koreans wouldnt want to live there.
if he's on an F4, can he quit now and only give 2 weeks notice without penalties? (as opposed to the 1 month his contract says). he got another offer but has to start in 3 weeks. also the hagwon owner is saying he needs to pay back the recruiter fee and cancellation of the housing penalty. does he really have to? theyre saying oh it's in the contract but what's the worst that could happen if he just doesnt go after a couple of weeks? |
If he is on an F4 he can walk out the door right after he gets paid and tell the owner to pee into the wind for the recruiters fees and housing penalty.
He can change employment at will and under the labor standards act the hagwan can't come after him for the cash unless he agreed to pay the fees (in writing) prior to the start of employment. If he did then the hagwan owner will have to sue to get it.
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daisydew
Joined: 07 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:03 am Post subject: |
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at this point he's worked about 2 weeks so he's getting paid 2.1 (if i can recall correctly) so would that be about $500 worth of work. he said he wouldn't bother with the paycheck if he could just leave now and start at this other place. i would think the hagwon would be happy since he is giong to offer 'giving' that money to them. they can just be pissy i guess. thanks for the advice, gonna call him now and tell him the info i got from dave's  |
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cobradiner
Joined: 14 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:16 am Post subject: |
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Ok so I was able to talk to my won jawn nim today, and we struck a verbal agreement. She agreed to give me my LOR only if I revised my resignation note. In my first note I submitted, I blamed her for causing the hostile environment, and stated she had unreasonable expectations. She didn't like that too much, so she wants me to rewrite in placing ALL the blame on me. I rewrote it saying I failed to teach my class in a professional and timely manner, and I bear all responsibility for failing to keep the contract agreements.
I haven't handed it in yet. She REALLY doesn't want to write the LOR, so I'm trying to be very careful how this situation is handled. She was very hesitant to agree and she only said she would look into it first. Now if she does write the letter, then is this a good deal for me? With a resignation note where I take ALL the blame, then does that mean I won't be able to find another job? What if a school that wants to hire me wants to talk to my last boss? Should I even update my resume to include I've work at this school?? |
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ajosshi
Joined: 17 Jan 2011
Location: ajosshi.com
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| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 10:09 am Post subject: |
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| cobradiner wrote: |
Ok so I was able to talk to my won jawn nim today, and we struck a verbal agreement. She agreed to give me my LOR only if I revised my resignation note. In my first note I submitted, I blamed her for causing the hostile environment, and stated she had unreasonable expectations. She didn't like that too much, so she wants me to rewrite in placing ALL the blame on me. I rewrote it saying I failed to teach my class in a professional and timely manner, and I bear all responsibility for failing to keep the contract agreements.
I haven't handed it in yet. She REALLY doesn't want to write the LOR, so I'm trying to be very careful how this situation is handled. She was very hesitant to agree and she only said she would look into it first. Now if she does write the letter, then is this a good deal for me? With a resignation note where I take ALL the blame, then does that mean I won't be able to find another job? What if a school that wants to hire me wants to talk to my last boss? Should I even update my resume to include I've work at this school?? |
Why? Don't set yourself up. Your boss is just nasty enough to send copies of your letter to any potential/future employer.
Write a resignation letter saying that you feel that it is in the best interest of both parties to part ways. Try to keep it neutral, or you'll regret it later.
Good luck! |
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