Korean Job Discussion Forums

[IwalkAlone]

Worked Feb. 2005 - Feb 2006 at hagwon
Employer was the usual snake = 5% tax / no pension
He also took my vacation days (see bottom for that story)
During the employment, got tax reduced to 3.3%

Worked at another school May 2006 - Aug 2007
Employer was honest! (wtf I know)

Now I am in America for the holidays with family and it's 2008.
My friend tells me that I should contact the pension office and get even with the first school. My only concern is that the 2 year limit for pension disputes will hault such efforts of getting even. So tomorrow, I will be contacting the Daegu regional office at 053) 589-4551, 589-4580 (info from the pension website) and issuing a formal complaint.

Now, I started that hogwan job outside of 2 years ago, but I finished it inside (Feb. 2008 would be 2 years). I am hoping that the pension office views the contract period and not just the starting date for their statute of limitations. If anyone knows this pray tell.

Oh, and if the school hadSung a song about hockey, it would mention Dominik HaSik. (so don't go to Daegu and partake in such a song .....



Vacation episode: Return ticket was arranged (by the recruiter and school) to depart 4 days before contract finished. I was then going to be deducted for those 4 missed days of work, but still get severance. Sounds fair. But I also had 6 unused vacation days that the owner wasn't letting me use. So I did some simple math and told management to just let me use them for the 4 days I would be missing. They could even keep the remainig 2 vacation days!!! Boss says "can't do that because contract says vacation day usage is to be negotiated......." and that he wasn't going to allow them used at that time. (Basically, I alone can't choose when to use them) So in the end, I left with 6 unused V days, and $400 less cash. The man was and shall probably die as a snake...

Will update about the pension fight for others who may be contemplating getting past dues.

[zizi]

The pension law didn't go into effect until January 2006, but since you were working then you should be qualified. Go after it, you have nothing to lose. If teachers don't fight for this they will continue to get screwed. If nothing, report your employer so future teachers might have a chance at getting their pension. Did you get a tax refund? You shouldn't have been taxed at 5% or 3.3%, and if that's what your employer really paid you are due a refund. You should look into that too. Just a thought....

[yingwenlaoshi]

[zizi]

[yingwenlaoshi]

They all lie. Mine does, too. If you give them the chance, they'll cheat you blind.

Every last one of them.

They deduct too much in taxes and pocket it. After you fight with them to get the right amount deducted, they still pocket it. They won't deduct pension unless you bug and bug them about it. And if they get the idea of pension, it's only another scheme to pocket more of your money. They'll try to pocket the pension even after you bug them about it. They won't deduct health and put you on the health insurance program unless you bug them. Or they'll deduct it and not bother enrolling you. Either way, they'll try to pocket that, too.

The list goes on.

But they'll say they aren't cheating you because they pay on time.

[zizi]

[georgewallas]

From my experience, the local pension offices are not willing to get into a confrontation, and as a result will thread a row of lines to disuade you from getting what's yours.

If you want get a blow by blow advice from the-little-teacher-that-could. Mr. FRANKenstein, and got his pension money back check this thread out.

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=109629&highlight=

Seriously, MOD's it time that a new sticky be created with support for reclaiming pension money, as the current one is shit.

[IwalkAlone]

The 2005 job paycheck looked something like this:

1,900,000 WON

- 50,000 apartment janitorial fee (neighbors only paid 25,000)
- 95,000 5% tax
- 27,000 Health Insurance (but only off of 1.3M salary)

I will be contacting the pension office later today and will update how the first battle goes.

[nomad-ish]

[IwalkAlone]

UPDATE #1

I called the Daegu regional pension office and told them about the problem

problem: 2005-2006 job never paid pension and I am an American and want it.

The response I got was that I need to directly talk with the hagwon director and work out the problem. They refused to force backpayments. I called a second time describing the law and how the director hates me, let alone wants to allow me to get money. The pension office next gets a bit aggitated at me and tells me they don't handle reclaimation of monies. I would need to call another office for such action, and am sent to the labor board. So part two of this update will follow at a later date.

[sconner]

I had a similar problem with pension among other things. Once I filed with labor the pension office started working on my case. My boss backed down and paid because he didn't want an investigation, but I am one of the lucky ones. I hope this works out for you, they can make him pay retroactively if they choose, you have to keep calling until you get the right person on the phone.

[Young FRANKenstein]