Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Foster]

Hey all,

I'm perusing a sample EPIK contract atm, and it states that a contract can be terminated if a teacher has diabetes! I don't have diabetes, but with the aforementioned mild lung condition I'm just reading through the contract carefully. Can they seriously fire you if you're diabetic regardless of whether you're doing a good job and they have no complaints? That seems like some crazy employment law right there, or is it just me?! Diabetes isn't really a serious condition if controlled, and it certainly doesn't prevent people from working anyway. Has anyone ever heard of this happening?

Ta

[calendar]

You never know, they may have had a diabetic person and he or she caused a lot of problems during their tenure at the hagwon. Or they have had sick people before and it just didn't help the business. They prefer to have someone healthy to limit the interuptions that can be caused by medical emergencies.

Other people on here will tell you that it is a form of discrimination and not to sign the contract. If your lung condition will cause some problems for you in class you either do not come here to teach or find a contract that doesn't have that clause. Or explain the situation to the recruiter and see what they say. It doesn't hurt to be honest because if you get over here and they find out you lied, you will/could be in for an expensive return trip home.

Keep in mind that you would not be lying (if you chose that route) to just Korean employers but immigration as well.

[northway]

Calendar: EPIK isn't a hagwon.

[calendar]

[Foster]

Thanks Calendar, I'm just surprised as I've seen postings about several people with diabetes on here and they don't seem to have had a problem.

As you saw, it is an EPIK contract I was looking at, and I just expected them to have a slightly different approach to hagwons.

And I must admit, most people I've spoken to with a health condition (which isn't serious enough to affect them working) who are already teaching have just said not to mention it on the application and to bring it up later at the discretion of the employer. It seems that if the employer sees you doing your job well then that kind of thing isn't an issue, am I right?

I don't need to add, that if a condition prevents someone from working in their home country, then obviously trying to work abroad with it isn't a good plan. I work full-time in the UK so I don't think I'm being unreasonable.

To anyone who does have a health condition of some kind, what's your take on this?