EPIK Sick Leave

Submitted by I on 8 November 2006 - 10:49am.

Tags:

English Program in Korea (EPIK)

How did your schools and POE handle sick leave? Was it easy for you to call in sick and take a day off?

Koreans generally look down

Submitted by ohstopyourself on 8 November 2006 - 1:48pm.

Koreans generally look down upon taking sick leaves unless you are in the hospital! It goes for students and for teachers. I know I was too afraid to take a sick day. It is in the contract though, so I suppose it's kind of like, if you want to stay at that school possibly, and wand to look really good in their eyes, then maybe try to tough it out?! If not though, go with the contract and take a day if you are feeling ill--teaching is SO hard on the throat when you're already sick!

Not necessarily

Submitted by Ogedei on 8 November 2006 - 3:19pm.

It seems to depend on where you're at. One of my co-teachers already has taken sick leave twice and there doesn't seem to be any stigma towards it. She's not here today because of a hangover! I don't take sick leave simply for the reason that I'm a bit of a masochist. It could be because Namhae is a bit more laid back in policies. For example, I'm actually supposed to be at school on Saturdays along with the other teachers, but the principal doesn't require me to do so.

You are not "supposed" to be

Submitted by lizm on 23 November 2006 - 9:54am.

You are not "supposed" to be at school on saturday - it specifies in our contract that you don't work saturday and sunday, so don't let them make you think they're being so nice about it... they'll try and make you think they're giving you the world, when they're really giving you the shaft... sorry to be such a pessimist... but in my experience, you can't trust them.

lizm :)

Ha ha!

Submitted by stron on 23 November 2006 - 11:31am.

I feel much the same.

Groan, so many classes with teachers just leaving and children getting out of control.

One teacher turned up 30 minutes into the class, and took a ten minute cell-phone call in front of everyone.

My 2nd co-teacher sits at the back of class and does nothing, doesn't even discipline the kids, just watches while I get obviously very pissed off because they won't stop talking, and then asks me what my problem is. It takes me an hour to communicate a simple idea with her and then every time I discover we got something wrong- something really important, like where I am supposed to be going for a certain event, what time to go there or who I am going there with, or whole chunks of lesson plans, or even who we are supposedly discussing- for example, the other day we talked for about twenty minutes about classes for grade one and grade two, then I discovered we were talking about different things, she was talking about winter camp. I very nearly had went away and planned every grade one and grade two class for the rest of the year, under the impression that's what the principal expected.

My computer doesn't work but I am expected to use the CD Roms,

I get blamed for the course being behind schedule even though nobody ever explained to me what the schedule was and I am not wholly responsible for it anyway (and got here 3 mths ago as opposed to the Korean teacher who should know better),

every time the principal gives me feedback it is entirely misguided or based on rumors,

I get judged for not acting like a Korean in dinner situations when I do my best to observe the etiquette and am obviously not Korean and as I have said have only been here for 3 mths,

I don't give a damn any more.

Going to school when you are sick

Submitted by I on 23 November 2006 - 2:55pm.

I agree that foreigners in Korea should make every effort to learn about Korean customs and work within the local culture and way of doing things. This will definately get you more respect and make your time in Korea run more smoothly.

However, I think Koreans should try to understand your culture and way of doing things as well. Korean schools should prepare to receive foreign teachers by learning a little about how work situations are handled in the foreigner's home country to facilitate greater understanding.

My Blog: http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/blog/issahaiku

I agree with this to some

Submitted by ohstopyourself on 29 November 2006 - 11:03am.

I agree with this to some extent. While the contract says we can have sick days, you should perhaps explain this better to your coteachers so that they can better understand your culture. However, you are taking a job in a foreign country and you should understand that job is going to be run with that country's way of doing things and that when you sign the contract you are kind of agreeing to do that--whether you know it or not.

Explaining to co-teachers about sick days

Submitted by I on 30 November 2006 - 3:41pm.

You are absolutely right that most things will be done according to the local protocol, and will vary in degree depending on where you are. You should understand this when you sign the contract, and the EPIK Office, POEs, and Korean schools should understand that signing the contract means that they are bringing in someone who does things differently than they do, whether they know it or not.

I think that it is the EPIK Office's responsibility to explain to co-teachers, schools, and POEs about sick days and the importance of a contract in Western countries. Most co-teachers will not be able to have this type of conversation in English to the extent where they fully understand where you are coming from, and even few foreign teachers will be able to talk about this in Korea.

Most Westerns feel the contract is very important, assume that it will be adhered to, and use it as a basis of decided whether to take a job or not. Not abiding by the contract is the best way for a Korean school to see a foreign teacher break their end of the contract and leave early.

I will check the contract and write back about what it actually says. Either way, I think the most important thing is to do what makes the situation work best, which means compromise on both ends.

EPIK wanted 1500 foreign teachers for 2006 but lowered their target to 250.....and got less than 125. If they want more teachers then they need to address these types of issues.

My Blog: http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/blog/issahaiku

Sick Leave

Submitted by I on 23 November 2006 - 2:32pm.

The first time I called in for sick leave my co-teacher said she would call the principal and find out if it was ok. I told her to save her breath and went to work and ended up being sick for two weeks.

The EPIK program should let POEs know that we do not need permission to take a sick day, and this should be included in the handbook of how to deal with foreing teachers that I assume all the co-teachers get. Or is that a false assumption?

The other time I called in sick it was to my other co-teacher and there was no problem. He did, however, say that he would call the Jeju Board of Education to find out if it was ok.

My Blog: http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/blog/issahaiku

handbook

Submitted by lizm on 24 November 2006 - 9:03am.

"the handbook of how to deal with foreing teachers" I WISH!!!! they aren't told anything about us. they need a training/orientation like we have to go through. are you just joking with this one?!?!?! 'cause really.... ha! if only, if only.... ....

lizm :)

This is very typical. I

Submitted by ohstopyourself on 29 November 2006 - 11:04am.

This is very typical. I believe the contract says something about it as well--like we must ask for permission for the sick day.

Obtaining Prior Consent for EPIK Sick Leave

Submitted by I on 1 December 2006 - 6:21pm.

In Article 15 of the contract it says:

"Employee shall be entitled to a paid sick leave in an illness of injury prevents him/her from performing the duties under this Contract, provided, however, that he/she obtains Employer's prior consent."

Good job Ohstopyourself...I stand corrected!

My Blog: http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/blog/issahaiku