Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bourquetheman]

So this is my second year at this public high school in Suwon. I was privately hired so I'm not on the GEPIK program, yet still our school should adhere to the education office. Last year they said they made a mistake giving me 4 weeks vacation, so reluctantly I agreed to the standard 2 this year. The thing I specifically asked though was could I take the whole 2 weeks in the summer or winter OR take one week in the summer and one week in the summer. Actually my supervisor suggested I take the whole 2 weeks in the summer as that would be better. When signing the contract I asked about this again and was told by my HEAD supervisor, yes that would be possible.
Now they tell me NO that isn't possible and that I can only take 7 workdays off. This utterly sucks as school "closes down" (what a joke) on the 15th of July, and "reopens" for extra classes from the 18th-30th. Then (like all the students) I get August 1-9th off and teach from the
10th to the 20 of August and the next semester starts on the 22nd. I told them this was completely unacceptable and that I'm disappointed with the whole situation. My immediate supervisor has changed and is no help at all. My former supervisor has still been a mediator and said perhaps she made a mistake in putting the contract like that. My head supervisor will talk with the principal but it does NOT look hopeful. She keeps saying that the Education office supervisor has made it clear that only 7 days is possible and I should teach extra classes while the students come here. She said the contract is a mistake. I said well we should follow it though, right? To which she said "Oh and you follow the contract all the time?"
Ok so for two days this week I was an hour late because I had NO class due to exams so hey, dock my pay like it says but screwing me out of my vacation is a bit more severe than that! Well enough of my rant. At this point I'd like to tell them I quit if they don't honour it and find another job asap. But that is probably just dreaming.......as I have a family and they apartment is the schools.

[Grotto]

give them 15 days notice as to when you will be taking your two weeks off. Its in your contract and they can piss and moan about it all they like but the fact of the matter is you are entitled to it.

Did you make the mistake? Nope! Should you have to pay for it? Nope!

Just because someone at the education office says something does not make it law. Tell them you will be gone from August X to X. They may not like it but tough cookies...they can fix it in the next contract.

[hellofaniceguy]

Stand your ground....put it in writing and keep copies and give copies to those who need to get them....stating that you will be taking your vacation during _______ and will return _______. You are taking two weeks. Period. And then do it. It's very simple.
No one can use you unless YOU let them. 2 weeks vacation is for the birds. You hakwon teachers....I don't know what to say about you all...but...most of you get only 2 weeks!?!?!
That is foolish!!
Screw what all the other hakwons get! Gesh!
2 weeks! And all the BS you take! For a mere 2 weeks! Hakown owners do not care about you!!!

[bourquetheman]

Thanks for the advice, but alas I'm not at a hogwan but a high school. Still I will try to stand my ground.

[No L]

Don't quit. You shouldn't lose money for standing up for yourself. Take your two weeks that you're entitled to and have the Labour Board back you up if need be.

[bourquetheman]

Well an update.

My head supervisor (boojangnim) called my wife tonight (she's not confident about her own English, so she can talk to my wife who is Korean) and explained how she waited after school for an hour to talk to the principal (gee I'm supposed to feel sorry for her?) and that they simply could not allow two weeks in one chunk. She mentioned how she talked to my old supervisor and that it was SHE who misunderstood about that possibility and put it in the contract incorrectly. She said that the Education supervisor is VERY STRICT about this and that if they allowed it they could get in trouble. What really pisses me off is that they should have more say about it in my opinion as I was hired directly by them and and NOT GEPIK. Still the government helps fund my salary and apartment so ultimately I guess they have to play by their rules.
If I bring up the contract I will look like a hypocrite my wife thinks as I came in late during exams so I too didn't "follow the contract". Fine I guess I'll play by their rules but I'm going to tell her tomorrow that I'm going to "take the weekend to think about what I'm going to do" and I can't wait to see the look on her face when I tell her that. I also don't really expect to get paid for these classes either but I will ask nonetheless. They had written a special clause into the contract saying that "in certain cases per the principals' discretion I maybe paid for the extra classes. " I was paid for the winter ones but my old supervisor says I shouldn't expect, nor should I ask after all of this has gone down. I will anyway, what the hell.
The funny thing is the Chinese teacher and I are both pissed off about our situations and we jokingly said to each other wouldn't it be funny if we both told them we quit? GOOD LUCK IN AUGUST!! Ha ha ha.....as we are the only two foreigners in the school.

[mindmetoo]

Most contracts give your director/manager final approval of when you can take vacation time. Few jobs in North American even give you 100% liberty to take holiday any time you please. You're always subject to approval from above. Your contract might say 10 days but you don't necessarily have the contractual right to take those 10 days all at once or any time you want, no matter how much notice you give.

[bourquetheman]

[chest rockwell]

be thankful, I only get 5 days off the whole year

[Derrek]

Follow the advice which says you will be following your contract. Then just follow it.

Argue the rest with the Labor Board if there is a fight.

[Paddycakes]

Throw their own medicine back in their face... tell them that joining their school was a "mistake" and just walk out the door.

Hope you have the financial power to be able to do that...

[wigan4]

Ok, I'm a newbie and know zero about working in China. But I have about 50 years experience in working with people so I have to ask--can you possibly win in the long run by taking such a narrow, legalistic, confrontational stance? At least in the world I'm familiar with, you might get your vacation but you'll be sorry you did.

I'd think that would be even more true in a society that depends so heavily on interpersonal relationships and cooperative behavior--but of course I don't really know.

[wigan4]

Hmmm--this would be the Korean thread, wouldn't it?

Oh, well!

[Paddycakes]

Wigam4,

Most people in ESL in Korea are in it for the short term, so there really is no short term pain for long term gain.

Also, there's a reason why Koreans are basically known as the "Yellow N*iggers" of Asia; they are internationally famous for being highly skilled liars and cheats. They can be very nice on a social level, but in any kind of work or business relationship you really need to watch your back. Their word doesn't count for very much.

They are famous for signing contracts and then later coming back and saying parts of it were a "mistake" when they feel that it works to their advantage.

You have to deal very firmly with the Koreans, the same way a cop has to deal with a criminal; try to be nice and they will try to walk all over you.

I don't live in Korea any more, but when dealing with Koreans these are the things you need to know.

[mindmetoo]