PSA: Don’t sign things you don’t agree with.

DO NOT SIGN THINGS THAT YOU DON’T AGREE WITH!

It’s been coming up a lot in multiple conversations I’m in. Here in Korea and anywhere to be honest you have to be careful with anything that you sign and say you “agree” with.

To be more specific if you are working in Korea as a teacher, please learn some of your basic rights. Follow up with learning some of the Labor Laws that exist in Korea. Why? Because a lot of hagwons (even some public schools) will try to break the law and get away with it. How can they do this? You don’t know it’s illegal and they use that to their advantage.

Some helpful sources to find out about the labor laws here in Korea are below:

• https://elaw.klri.re.kr/eng_service/lawView.do?hseq=25437&lang=ENG
• https://www.moel.go.kr/english/ (This is the official page for the Ministry of Employment and Labor in Korea)
• https://law.go.kr/LSW/eng/engLsAstSc.do?menuId=1&cptOfiCd=1492000&dataCls=lsAstSc#cptOfi1492000

Please, if you feel like something isn’t right, it probably isn’t. If you aren’t sure that it’s legal, double check it with the labor laws. They have to follow the law no matter what. Whatever they say does not overrule the laws that are there to protect you and others. Don’t sign things that you aren’t sure about. Check everything and make sure that they tell you exactly what they mean. If you come to an agreement about something, get it in writing too. Have proof of everything just in case you need it in the future. Is it being too cautious? Maybe just a little, but as some who has had to sue and fight for my rights more than once, I rather be cautious than taken advantage of. At the end of the day, you have to protect yourself as much as possible, especially when abroad.