Korean Job Discussion Forums

[phaedrus]

Take the hagwon I used to work at for example. The boss had enough money for a nice car and to take nice holidays. She paid the teachers on time, and could afford to renovate the hagwon unnecessarily.

Yet, she tried to scam me on my severance, and did scam me on my pension.

Why?

Did she do it just for the hell of it? She didn't seem to be in a desperate financial situation (except for when she had to deal with teachers about money ). Is it just natural for Korean business dealings?

If it is legit financial hardship that causes the cheapness it's not so immoral, but when it's done out of greed, it's just plain low.

Far too many "poor" hagwon owners seem to try the same monkey business on a daily basis. Why?

[some waygug-in]

I'm not sure exactly. You'd think they'd be a bit worried about their reputation when it comes to hiring new teachers, but somehow that doesn't seem to factor into their thinking.

They only seem to see "short-term monitary gain" and their eyes get all fuzzy and next thing you know you are being shafted big time.

I think Koreans seem to feel it is their "right" to mistreat employees, their is no concept of the employee having rights, especially not foreign employees.

But I have to add, it ain't just Korean language schools that do this. Check some of the discussion boards of other countries and see what I mean. It's just that in Korea, there seems to be a lot more money involved.

[butter808fly]

I thought my school owner was a very nice guy.. until I found out I was being screwed out of my pension. Then when I brought it up they threatened to get nitty gritty on the time worked.

I thought it was a well known fact - happy employees, happy workplace, happy customers. Seems not all business owners have this common sense business smarts.

I dont think that only Korean business owners are crooked. Let us not forget!

[eamo]

My boss is really "penny wise, pound foolish".

He spends millions on the most superfluous crap but then he tries to save a few thousand by, for example, not subscribing to The Korean Herald. We asked him nicely. I mean...It's not too much to ask for.

That's just one example though. I could go on forever.

[the eye]

greed

they take what they think they can get away with.

[bundaegi]

theydo it because they can

[sadsac]

Its their atypical way of having the power. Power is everything.

[Milwaukiedave]

I totally agree. My situation has gone from bad to worse back to being just bad. I have agreed to stay until Dec 22nd and then I'm leaving for a short time before coming back to Korea.

I have a question though. Originally my contract went though the end of Feb and I told them I was going to have to break my contract because there is somewhere else I wanted to go (long story).

However, these same people screwed a recruiter out of their fee and told them I went back to the US. I know who the recruiter is and how to get a hold of them.

The question is: Should I do it to get half my severence anyway?

[McNasty]

I was asking my students what their parents did for a living and one of them answered very quietly hogwan owner with their head hung in shame.
The poor kid must know it's a dirty business.

[just because]

But you all know we are the hated foreign mercenaries.

No wonder they hate us.