Korean Job Discussion Forums

[JoelCosmeJr]

I and my wife are to get our health insurance back soon after director cancelled without informing us. And he will pay into the pension as well again. But now he is telling me that because I am a foreigner, and despite what is stated in my contract, since I am a foreigner I am not entitled to get health insurance nor pension. He has also informed me that since I am a foreigner, the money that he puts into my pension, I am not to receive. If we both invest into my pension, I am only get the money I put in when I leave Korea and the money he invested would be sent to him. Where can i verify all this information. I got the number to the labor board once, but deleted the email by mistake. Can someone please tell who I can call to ask these questions?

[4 months left]

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=20651

[dam_on]

Of course you will get the money back...all of it...and him not a penny. That's the inherent nature of pension. The fact that he has to provide half of the 9% (matching you 4.5%) doesn't entitle him to getting it back. It's just like the 401k system in the states where the employer would usually match up to a certain amount that you put into it monthly.

Don't worry about his claims, as he can't touch it. The money will be wired directly to your account back home when you leave Korea. Make sure that you stop by the pension office before you leave Korea to apply for the lump sum refund.

I have the feeling though, that he knows this and may try to take some amount out of your pay and claim it as his half of the pension payments...don't fall for it.

[ChuckECheese]

You don't even have to ask. Your boss is full of shit.

For health insurance, show your boss this website link:

http://www.nhic.or.kr/wbe/faq/faq.html

[BigBuds]

Your boss if FULL OF SH*T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Big Mac]

You are entitled to everything a Korean would get in terms of pension and health insurance. I went through the same thing with my last contract. He's just hoping you're clueless.

[yingwenlaoshi]

PHONE NUMBERS

Pension is 9%. You pay half and your boss pays the other half. You get all 9% back if you're Canadian or American. If you're not North American. Either way, your boss doesn't get a penny back of that money. Obviously.

Health, I believe, is now 4.77% (last year it was 4.48%). You pay half and your boss pays the other half. You should have received a booklet by now.

Just to be sure, call the pension office at (02)2240-1083/5. They'll tell you how much is in your account. Just give them your ARC number. It's the foreigner line. It's really easy. Just takes a second.

Sounds like he could only be paying what he deducts from you claiming that you only make half of what you do. If you're not paying into health, chances are he isn't forwarding a penny to the pension office since you're not supposed to have one without the other. I think these offices communicate with each other.

A lot of bosses will deduct the pension from you and wait until their backs are against the wall to actually pay it.

Call that number and please let us know if he's screwing you or not.

How do you know he cancelled health and pension in the first place? Did he just stop deducting it? Kind of odd.

For your health insurance, call (02)3270-9836/9. They'll have on record how much you should be paying. Find out also how much in total has been paid since the beginning of your employment. They'll no doubt find this request to be odd and they'll have to call you back since they have to check that with another office. Get the date of commencement of the coverage that they have on record, if coverage has been cancelled, etc.

Did you get a health booklet? If not, something's definitely fishy. Not that something already isn't.

[JoelCosmeJr]

Well I found out my health insurance was cancelled when I went to the doctor last week and was told my insurance had expired back in November. My korean friend called the insurance office and they were told that I no longer work at the hagwon, so my director cancelled the insurance. I called him and he told me that he cancelled all of the teacher's insurance and pension without informing anyone back in November. Thanks for the numbers, i will call first thing tomorrow. and yes i have a booklet for health, got it back in August.

[yingwenlaoshi]

[JoelCosmeJr]

well i did one year at this hagwon from june 2005-june 2006 and started my second year in july 2006. i did not get pension nor health insurance my first year and was given it in august of this year. my director informed me that he cancelled all the teacher's pension and health insurance because he could not afford to pay it (though he has hired a new teacher to start this month and has decided to install web cams in all the classes so mother and watch and listen to classes in progress)

[yingwenlaoshi]