From the stories coming out of Daejeon these days, it is clear that the hot summer sun has spoiled some employer-employee relationships.� �I have been fielding a significant amount of quasi-legal questions arising out of broken employer-employee relationships, so I thought it might be helpful if I posted some general tips for dealing with employers.� If anyone has additional tips, please post them in the comments section, and I�ll �add them to this list.�
TIP: READ YOUR CONTRACT
Read your contract!� That might sound elementary, but many people do not bother to read their contracts.� Make sure everything is clear and unambiguous.� If something sounds strange or doesn�t make sense, make sure to discuss it with your employer before signing.�
TIP: KEEP COPIES OF YOUR IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS IN A SAFE PLACE
You should keep copies of all correspondence with your employer, your contract(s), your tax receipts (you must request them from your employer), your medical insurance information, and copies of your visa/passport.� Put them in a safe place, so if a problem does arise, you have easy access to everything you need.
�TIP: IMPROVE COMMUNICATION BY SUMMARIZINGAt the conclusion of important conversations, summarize the main points of discussion, and make sure both you and your boss understand the conclusion you have come to.� I always repeat things 2 or 3 times using different words each time. �TIP: DOCUMENT EVERYTHING THROUGH EMAIL
Email a �summary� of your discussion to your boss after an important conversation.� For example, after a conversation extending your contract for another year, you could send a non-confrontational email saying, �Thanks for talking with me today.� I am having a lot of fun working for your school.� You do a great job keeping everything running smoothly.� I appreciate the offer to extend my contract, but unfortunately, I really do have to leave on July XX.� If there�s anything I can do to help you find a replacement, let me know.�� By summarizing your understanding of the conversation and your position in an email, you set up a paper trail just in case the relationship later sours.
�TIP: MAKE YOUR INTENTION TO END YOUR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP CLEAR2 months before your contract is up, remind your boss that you are leaving, and ask when they are going to book the ticket back.� If you don�t hear back, follow up within a week.�
TIP: RELAX
Discussions over money and/or benefits often get extremely heated and end in a fight that only makes the relationship worse.� Try not to fall into that trap.� Stay calm (even when your boss is acting crazy), and try to keep a level head.� Stand up for yourself, but do not raise your voice.� If the conversation gets too heated, excuse yourself and send a non-confrontational email summarizing your position.� Remember that this is business and not personal.�
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TIP: HAVE AN ESCAPE PLAN
What would you do if your hagwon suddenly went out of business?� What if they just stopped paying you?� You must think about these kinds of situations and prepare accordingly. Have some emergency money stashed in your apartment and keep a foreign credit card with a high enough limit to buy a plane ticket home.� You never know what will happen.� Be prepared.
�I leave for Korea tomorrow morning and will be staying until August 15th, so if anyone is up for drink or a bike ride, let me know.� I hope to see some of you soon!
