Korean Job Discussion Forums

[noelinkorea]

Just found out the day before we finish a summer camp here in Korea that we will not be paid, apparently because there is no money! I also have two friends at another summer camp run by the same company but in a different university. The problem is we all paid a lot to get here, and we really are almost out of cahs...no joke. I purchased on my credit card two airline tickets for my partner and I to leave Korea, and so my credit card is already maxed out. I am in a dire predicament, and my firends won't be much better off. I was meant to be paid this Friday (the day I was to leave also)...what can I do?

[ulsanchris]

That is some bad news. Sorry to hear it. try contacting www.elflaw.com. I think this is the right link. They will give you some legal advice for free. If i am wrong I am sure that another poster on here will correct me.

[waterbaby]

Just a correction... it's www.efl-law.com
You can send them an email ... [email protected]
They're really helpful and very prompt.

Also, you might want to get in touch with the Labor Board. Check the following thread for the contact details for the Labor Board nearest you.
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=6017
Tell them about your situation.

I feel really bad for you. My guess is that the camp director hopes that you'll just have to cut your losses and move on... but don't without making some calls first.

[ulsanchris]

Were there a lot of students at the camp. If so then your boss is diffinately cheating you. If the enrollment was low then maybe there is some truth to what he says. Still you should get something.

[panthermodern]

Question: were you employed under any sort of visa that would allow you to work?

If not (Tourist Visa), your unlikely to see your money.

[Medic]

What was the name of the camp, and where is their office located? That's if you want to tell us? Also how many teachers were at the camp; Korean and native English teachers.

Why don't you take a crowbar to the managers head.

[Gord]

[rapier]

Sympathies to you noelinkorea...I've been going through the same crisis over the past few days...finished on Tuesday, was supposed to be paid, nope. Then supposedly the next day..nope. Finally today i sat in the hagwon reception for 3 hours entertaining fantasies of smashing the computers and photocopier.. very tense. Finally Wonjangnim gave in to the intimidating standoff,- PAID IN FULL...yup,
"Nobody messes with Rapier!!!"
Mind you, my case was different to yours- my boss at least expressed the dubious intention of paying me. Yours has refused point blank. In such circumstances I wouldn't be responsible for my actions. Only last night I was contemplating booking a ticket to Thailand for today, and breaking into the hagwon and wrecking it overnight...Yep, superglue down all the keyboards etc...
But lucky for wonjangnim, he finally arrived at the correct answer, - yeahhh!!!!!

[Real Reality]

I hope someone at EFL-LAW.COM can help you.
http://www.efl-law.com/teacher_help.html

Lawyers
http://usembassy.state.gov/seoul/wwwt3420.txt

Contract Disputes in Korea
http://usembassy.state.gov/seoul/wwwh3422.html

Any foreigner who begins work without the appropriate visa is subject to arrest, costly fines and deportation. Persons working without a valid work-permit, who have a contractual dispute with his/her employer, have little or no entitlement to legal recourse under South Korean law.

The Government of the Republic of Korea sometimes seizes the passports and blocks the departure from the country of foreigners involved in commercial disputes. If this happens to you, please notify the Consular Section of the Embassy.
http://www.korea.gc.ca/consularservice/workinkorea.e.html

Unfortunately some American citizens come to Korea under contract, with promises of generous salaries, bonuses and other amenities, only to find themselves in tenuous situations, often lacking funds to return to the U.S. The Embassy, by regulation, cannot enter into any case, conduct an investigation, nor act as a lawyer in legal or contractual mishaps experienced by U.S. citizens. We can neither investigate nor certify employers.
http://usembassy.state.gov/seoul/wwwh3550.html#cultural

[noelinkorea]

Okay - so I went into the camp today and we moaned and groaned with my co-worker, managing to upset the staff about their pay as we went along - this prompted calls to head office...eventually the people we needed to talk to stopped taking. I was told that the money would be paid then...but no-one had talked to anyone else at head office to be sure...hhmmmm. Anyway, so my co-worker and I stomped into the head office this evening, with all our bags (count them: three bags, two backpacks,a stereo and a huge Lotte Mart umbrella). I demanded to speak to the lady, and we sat down and sorted through the issues - all rather meaty, but they will move cash here and there, and I got a signed and stamped letter designed by my co-worker (who was today paid 1.2m of his 2.1m...low salary I know) to pay me within the next few days. I will head to Thailand anyway as planned, and deal legally with the stuff if I need to upon my return. The lady was brutally honest about the company - she hasn't been paid in two months herself and is quitting at the end of the month (she also told us great stories about how the entire camp schedule was designed in two days - which explains a few things!!). My co-worker (new to Korea and all its exciting employment battles and tactics) was shocked by this all... So they told him that the problem was with the recruiter, as with my two other freinds...I looked over the amounts of money sent here and there (the lady provided all the stuff - wow!) and indeed it looks like the recruiters. They take their cut per teacher before they pay over to the teacher...and the recruiters are still owed some cash by the company, but the just say that that is the money owed to the teacher there!! Can I mention names, I don't know... My two friends at the other camp run by the company (okay - it's SED...do a search) have also encountered problems with payment - they have got only two-thirds...and no more is available apparently from their recruiter, as explained above. More to follow for them tomorrw - I will just sit and wait in Thailand for the moment - hoping to see the funds in my account...Also - I am legal, I paid my own way back to Korea, then to Japan for the visa run - I'm on a two-month C-4 visa, so no illegal alien issues there!! Cheers everyone for your comments - I will add more if things don't pan out by the 23rd...I also asked about at EFL-LAW, so will check that now...

[panthermodern]