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Normal to withhold first month of pay until end of contract?

 
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IconsFanatic



Joined: 19 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2003 6:12 am    Post subject: Normal to withhold first month of pay until end of contract? Reply with quote

Okay, I got here around March 22nd, and we get paid on the 10th of each month.

Instead of giving me my first paycheque on April 10th (which would be for 2.5 weeks or so), my boss has said that he wants to withhold this first "incomplete" pay to the end, and that this is the normal thing for hagwons to do.

I think he's bullshitting me..... can you all clarify? Is there anything in the Korea labour law that permits this? Is this practice indeed normal, or is my boss just paranoid that his very first foreign teacher might jet early?
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crazylemongirl



Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...

PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2003 6:30 am    Post subject: Yes and no Reply with quote

My boss paid my for my first part of month, although when I mentioned to a teacher at another branch when we went to get out alien registration cards he seemed suprised that I had been paid.

CLg
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kimcheeking
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2003 2:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

this is not normal.
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William Beckerson
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2003 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I think you'll get the first incomplete pay at the end of your time there... assuming they dont go out of their ways to make you quit or fire you before the contrat ends so they dont have the pay you.

There are many, many ways to get boned here.
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Captain Obvious 2.0



Joined: 09 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2003 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's also uncommon that you would receive your pay for up to and including the day you worked.

Odds are you would only be paid for one week's work anyway, so up until the end of March If the boss wants to hold that as a security deposit, so be it. You're living in his apartment anyway and you will get bills.

If you won't trust the school to pay you back your security deposit, why should they trust you to pay your bills after you're on a plane going home?
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The Great Wall of Whiner



Joined: 24 Jan 2003
Location: Middle Land

PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2003 7:43 pm    Post subject: well Reply with quote

Well I can't speak for the rest of the countries on Earth, but where I come from (both Canada and Britian), we had a cut-off day of about a week or so.

I think in your case, your cut-off day is a bit long, however.
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Anda



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: South Korea

PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 12:04 am    Post subject: Dah. Reply with quote

Stay at a home for a day or so and see what happens. I can assure you that he will be around to where he has you living quick smart. Tell him that you have decided to put off a couple of weeks teaching untill the end of the year unless he pays you the money up front that he owes you.
Unless your contract states that you have agreed to let him hold your first half months pay then he is not within the law of the contract. Go and see immigration and ask if it is all right to find an honest boss elsewhere in Korea. Immigration normally will back you if you talk politely and don't go expecting them to recoup money owed for you . However I can assure you that your boss will be phoned directly after you visit them and told a few things.


Last edited by Anda on Sun Mar 30, 2003 3:35 am; edited 1 time in total
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The Lemon



Joined: 11 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 12:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
If the boss wants to hold that as a security deposit, so be it.


I think I'm stating the Obvious to the Captain, but if it wasn't in the contract, nor verbally agreed to, what the owner's doing is not on. Obviously.

You were expecting to be paid. Tell him you're running out of money since you only brought enough to last until payday. Ask for a loan of the amount you were expecting. You'll pay him back when he pays you.

Anda's words are wise here. (did I just say that? Good GOD!!)
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Captain Obvious 2.0



Joined: 09 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Lemon wrote:


I think I'm stating the Obvious to the Captain, but if it wasn't in the contract, nor verbally agreed to, what the owner's doing is not on. Obviously.


Bet you a dollar the contract says he can do that. Not that it matters, as it's something that should be expected when having housing paid for by a company.


Quote:
Anda's words are wise here. (did I just say that? Good GOD!!)


How is he wise? He's thinking that the company will have a zero lead time from the salary cut-off to when a person is paid. I've NEVER had a job in North America that does that. In Canada at least, they have 16 days from the cut-off of the salary period to pay you.

At best, he's talking about a week's wages owed. A $500 deposit for bills is not a bad deal, especially since it's easy to rack up a phone bill and toss the utilities on top of that.
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Harvard Material



Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 4:09 am    Post subject: Witholding salary portion. Reply with quote

I can agree with C.O.; it isn't good to start out your new job appearing to be suspicious towards your employer. Koreans don't like being accused of being dishonest any more than you or I would. If you don't need the money immediately don't pressure him/her. It will be a positive sign on your part to provide a deposit.
You do, after all, have a reciept in the form of a paystub...right?

If you do lack living funds it is a different story altogether. Your employer has to provide you with full pay on the same day each month. IN FULL. I believe Korean Law states he/she can't withold it, regardless of the contract. My first employer paid me for 8 working days on the pay-day following my arrival.

If you need the cash now, explain the situation and hopefully the owner will be understanding. Be assertive and polite. If he/she doesn't budge you have a decision to make, and must consider the situation as a tell-tale lesson. After all, they should give you a bit of 'benefit of the doubt' as well.

Go to www.hagwonreport.com if you need legal assistance. Lots of good info; phone numbers, organisations, e-mail/fax etc... for this type of 'goings on'. You are here now. Start to figure these things out first hand. Asking for advice from the general public can lead to problems.

Good Luck!!
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The Bobster



Joined: 15 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 5:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's amazing how I'm disagreeing with a lot of people I usually agree with ...

Look, if the contract specifies a deposit, then it's there in the contract and you knew about it when you got on the plane. Calling the first 2 1/2 weeks a deposit that won't be paid until the end is hooey, very unfair when you've already made a commitment to work for him, possibly turned down offers from other schools who might not have this wierd little custom, and on top of that, hey, you did some work for him, too, shown him that you can do whatever it is he hired you for.

Deposits are cool, in fact they are normal. What I'm hearing here is not normal.

Sure a lot of bosses are paranoid about teachers taking a flyer, but you know what? A lot of teachers are paranoid, too. Korea has terrible reputation among international teachers, and if this boss hasn't figured that out it's time he learned.

Your first paycheck is your boss's first chance to show you he is a reputable guy who won't play games with the numbers you agreed to before you signed on. Let him know that you are worried and concerned, and make sure he knows that trust is a two-way street.
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MrTESL



Joined: 17 Mar 2003
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 7:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is not normal, but I can understand why the hogwan director wants to protect himself in case you jet.

If you feel uncomfortable about it, i would suggest you tell him so and demand your money.

I'd go one step further and say that even if its in the contract, go ahead and argue your point passionately - that piece of paper isn't worth much.


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