Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

As far as I can tell, I work for a hagwon owner (well, at the very least it's a private interest) who has an office at a university (I originally thought I worked for the university, but I really don't think I do!). This private businessman has some kind of a deal with the public board of education in my area.

My boss is basically some kind of PR person or something who has to deal with all of our problems and our visa issues as well.

[Bibbitybop]

Who is your contract with? Are you working hours not agreed to in the contract?

What part of your post has anything to do with your title "public school"?

[ttompatz]

You are NOT working for a public school.

You are a hakwon worker who is subcontracted to a public school and you are getting screwed.

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

I work for a company that sends me to different public schools in the area... that's the 'public school' connection.

I don't want to give the company/university's name because it could be seen by others and maybe cause some controversy which could bounce back on me.

I'm just interested in knowing more about the situation is all.

[matthews_world]

How many classes are you teaching total and if you don't mind, please tell us who you are working for.

I work for 2 other public schools which is fine by me because they are listed on my contract. My main school pays my salary and I work the maximum hours required. I might be in the same boat as you but I don't feel that my contract is illegal. I'm getting everything coming to me and the 2 other jobs are reported to immigration.

[genezorm]

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

[Jizzo T. Clown]

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

Uhhh... you do realize that my boss is KOREAN, right?

[Jizzo T. Clown]

You work for a person who speaks no English?

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

Of course they can speak English-- that's not why I can't speak to them about it. I guess it's because it's something of a 'sensitive issue'.

[moosehead]

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

I'm NOT going to say who I work for. Let me make this clear. I'm NOT going to say who I work for. The only way I'll say who I work for is if you agree to identify who you work for by name and hurl all kinds of accusations at him or her publicly, then post your director's e-mail so that one of the godawful rat bastard Koreans on this site can turn YOU in.

Anyway, I probably shouldn't be talking about it at all if I knew what was good for me but it's seriously bugging me and I can't escape this all-pervasive feeling of dread, so as long as I don't mention any names no one gets hurt, right?

The thing that's really been bugging me is it seems like once again, the foreign teachers are being set up to take the fall. I don't trust a single thing my boss says, because his entire JOB is to lie. All Koreans DO is lie. They think it's fun, and pride themselves on being good liars. When they get caught in a lie, they laugh it off. I actually caught an entire class in a lie, and I tricked them into telling the truth... and it was no big deal. Their Korean teacher even thought it was funny!

Any trust I've ever had for Koreans, or any respect I've ever had for the culture, is completely gone-- I'm beyond the point of being jaded-- I'm actually at the point where I treat them all with subtle contempt.

I actually agree to help random Koreans by doing private English lessons for outrageously low prices, then I cancel just to get the satisfaction of hearing their disappointment!!!

I also take every opportunity to use extremely ambiguous sarcasm and ironic compliments because I know most of them won't get it!

Anyway, my situation is-- I don't want to get into the specifics-- but I'm being forced to lie. And it's not just that I'm lying, it's that my lying actually helps them to screw me, and probably to screw a lot of other people as well!!! I could get over it sooo easily if I wasn't actually being asked to become complicit in my own exploitation!!!

Not only that, we're being treated like IDIOTS! I'm supposed to sign a new contract that says I work for someone I don't work for, and the salary and vacation details match the one that I originally signed, BUT we're also being asked to sign a document that gives Mr. Fake Boss (whose power basically goes as far as being able to snitch on us to people who really do have power) full authority to sign all documents on our behalf.

So basically, we're signing FAKE contracts while he's out signing the REAL contracts on our behalf!!! The real contract says we make more money, work less hours, get more sick days, etc... basically, it's what should be happening but isn't.

But it's not even so much the lying... well, it is the lying, but it's also the fact that our employer is treating us with such contempt, like we're idiots... and that the whole manipulative show is just so transparent. I mean, here is a country full of liars, and they are all LOUSY at it!!! I mean, it's awful when such a horrible trait is dominant within a culture, but when you totally suck at it as well?? That's something else!

And I just know that if someone catches them in their lie, it's going to be the foreigners who get nailed for it. I'm not sure how, but that's what will happen.

But I can't do anything about it, and I actually like my job... I just can't stand the 'management'... and I'm sick of lying liars... actually, the whole country seems pretty shitty right now.

Also, I'm sick of these racist Korean women flirting with you so that you'll do things, and not only that, so you'll flirt back, thereby giving them that ego boost by acknowledging how attractive they are, and then they'll tell themselves the only reason you did it is because of their incredible beauty. Uh no... I did it because I get bored and a student needed help... and I already KNOW you want nothing to do with me by the way you look at me the rest of the time, ie: as if I'm inferior! I don't know, women everywhere flirt for their own egos, and I guess men do too, but it somehow sucks even more when it's here... I guess because of the whole racism angle, and the fact that she would actually regard a relationship with me as some kind of godawful public humiliation.

Sorry, that last bit was unrelated, and probably even could have sounded bitter, but I suppose once the vitriol starts, it just doesn't stop!!!

[garykasparov]

Have you considered asking for a Letter of Release?

http://www.efl-law.com/letter_of_release.php

[Jizzo T. Clown]

How can you like working anywhere that is screwing you the way your boss is? It's things like this that will keep working conditions down in the gutter. Please quit. If not for you, for the rest of us who actually have some self-respect. And your blanket attitude toward Koreans in general is juvenile at best and completely racist at worst.

People generally get what they deserve. Sounds like you are in this case. No sympathy here.