Korean Job Discussion Forums

thelaststraw · Joined: 07 Nov 2006

I am wondering if anyone knows the law around a hagwan pimping its teachers out all over town. I am now currently teaching in no less than 5 different locations in the run a week (sometimes in one day), some companies, some middle schools, etc. There are no additional locations written on the back of my ARC and im just trying to find out if this is legal or not or if i just have to sit back and enjoy the ride(transportation times not paid for of course). Also one of the middle schools just informed me of how much they pay the hagwan for my services and yepper you guessed it, i am getting taken advantage of big time.....hagwan gets W460 000/ week, i get W180 000 of it......wooohooo great deal for me.....
any suggestions.......

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

cdninkorea · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

canuckistan · Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:09 pm Post subject: Re: Being Pimped Out

Tommy · Joined: 24 Aug 2005

As far as I know, you are only allowed to work on the location stated on your ARC. There should also be an address written in your contract. This is the place immi thinks you are working. If you are working elsewhere, I'm pretty sure it is illegal. You can use this as an excuse not to work at other locations. However, this can simply be changed if your employer takes the necessary steps at immigration to add additional work locations. At the same time, you can object to this because it is not the agreed upon terms written in your contract, and if your employer adds more locations, he is breaching the contract (i think - can anyone confirm this?), leaving a possible out for you if you want to leave this place.

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

I don't go anywhere unless it's on my ARC and transportation is paid for, including my time.

poet13 · Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:19 pm Post subject:

Definitely getting pimped homey. Tell your boss you know the law, and cannot work in other locations. If he fires you, go to the labor board and file a complaint.
I will say though, that how much you boss earns off of your labor is irrelevant. That's nothing to get bent about. There is likely nothing in your contract that stipulates that you get a percentage of the fee.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

yesman · Joined: 15 Sep 2006

We want to burn this place down. The problem for thelaststraw is that he's nearly at the end of his contract. However, I'm not.

So, yes, ttompatz, I want to bring in the stormtroopers. All of the compounding mistreatment has gotten the entire native teaching staff quite worked up. I'd like to quit tomorrow, but whenever I do I will always lose a month's salary because they pay us a month late.

My question is, if all the teachers take collective action and complain to immigration, would the school really be closed down and would we really be protected? What about finding other work after this hell on earth? LOR and such...

The whole teaching staff is in agreement: we don't want anyone else coming here to experience this.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

thelaststraw · Joined: 07 Nov 2006

Thanks for all the advice, its really appreciated....Those of us working here know that something has to be done, but were all at different points of our contract and have different situations about leaving right away or riding out the rest of it.......I guess the one thing that we all can agree on is that something has got to be done soon......I will also take all the necessary steps to make sure that noone else gets misled into accepting a position here in the future, not until some serious change comes about.
thanks again.....

thelaststraw · Joined: 07 Nov 2006

Also our contract only says that an emloyee shall wait no longer than 31 days to recieve their pay, and i guess we all assumed that meant from when you start work, not wait until the end of the following month to receive this months pay......Its only done for 1 reason as far as i can tell and its real real hard on new teachers who come expecting a salary but dont get anything until almost 2 full months of work........sure makes it hard to pull a runner or leave before you finish you contract. hmmmm...

gang ah jee · Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: city of paper

When I first saw this thread I thought it was about getting oneself pimped out lifestylewise rather than being pimped out by someone else howise.

And that's all I have to say on the matter.

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

You can go scorched earth by contacting the labor board, immigration, and the pension office but it's very unlikely to get the school punished very much let alone shut down. It would be much more effective to hand in simultaneous letters of resignation and see what they start offering you. And if it's not enough then leave together and perhaps start telling your students they should move to different schools -- for example the ones you get jobs at.