Squid
Joined: 25 Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Anyang
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Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 7:16 pm Post subject: The official route to getting money your ex boss owes you #2 |
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The Nodong bu office replied to my Thursday lodgement with a letter the following Monday. The envelope had a very small English "Ministry of Labour" in the top left corner.
I fronted up to the Kangnam office with my ID card and interpreter* at the appointed time of 1pm. The office guy showed at 1.20 and excused himself immediately for a cup of coffee and a fag. The office had no airconditioning and I was getting testy.
He came back at 1.30 and asked a number of questions of my ex-boss, sitting there with us, and then the same questions of my interpreter. This apparently is to sort out any discrepancies in stories.
My ex-boss agreed he owed the money but said to the guy he has no money so cannot pay. The office guy then told my interpreter to talk it over with him to try to reach some agreement and he'd be back in a few minutes. He went two yards away and noisily talked with a colleague.
My ex-boss said the same to us and that he was sorry, then we sat for some more time in silence until the office guy decided to sit down again.
After having found no agreement the office guy gave my ex-boss a month to pay or, after an additional grace period of 15 days, he'd then have to go to court. The meeting was over, the office guy stamped the question sheets which we had signed and kept them and we left with instructions to ring him after a month with a yes or no on payment... this would trigger the additional action.
* Take a male interpreter. My interpreter was my wife, whom the office guy spoke to condescendingly. Just a fact of life here.
Advice:
Take along your ID card, a copy of your final payslip and your contract. The guy commented his surprise that my ex-boss accepted liability, as this was one of the handful he'd seen in his 10 years at that office. He also anecdoted that 50% of bosses don't show, and of those that do the vast majority attempt to denounce the teacher and make theft or contract violation accusations.
The next phase is obviously to wait, but if court action is required I have to pay for a sewer rat, sorry, a lawyer, to represent my interests.
The Nodong bu has no power to force payment, it's just a time constraint on the ex employer.
If you read the whole post, well done, but I don't envy you this depressing and difficult course of action should you be forced to it.
Part #3 to follow. |
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