Korean Job Discussion Forums

kscouse · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

10 months into my contract - my Boss has not paid me for 3 straight months !!!!

Best course of action??????????

See out the remainder of my contract - with hopes of getting my monies and severance???

Go on strike???

Other Korean teacher have been getting paid.

Cheers[/b]

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Do it now. Call the Labor Board, and file a claim, or you'll find yourself at the end of your contract having to leave the country, or with nowhere to live, while you wait a month for them to get around to your claim.

Don't even tell your boss what you are doing. He'll just pay you a little, promise you more later, and hope to string you along longer.

You need someone to put foot to his a$$.

And don't give up your claim until you get ALL of your pay that is due.

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 3:20 am Post subject:

kscouse · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

Spoke to a lovely lady at the labor board.

I'll file the claim tomorrow -what are the chances of getting all of the money?? Sure there are lots of ways my boss can slip and slide out of paying me.

The boss can cry financial difficulties - but other Korean teachers are getting paid - and it is basically buisness as usual at school.

Strangeeee

PS I have been a model teacher and this is actually my second year with the school.

Cheers

Otherside · Joined: 06 Sep 2007

I'm really sorry for you. This is an absolutly dispicable situation (unfortunatly, an all too common one). I have to ask though, when payday came around the previous 3 times and your money wasn't there, what did you say to your boss? And what did he say to you to for you to ride it out this long?

A friend of mine had a similar story, It was his second year at a school (he'd recieved severence and airfare etc) and 2 or 3 months in, the boss stopped paying him. Every week he'd ask for his money, and his boss would pass along some story, and give him 100-200,000 to tide him over till he recieved his paycheck. This went on for almost 4 months, in the end he was fired, labour was toothless and my mate found himself out about 6mill. This was a couple of years back. If I recall the story correctly, the school stopped paying the Korean staff too.

What really bothers me is this, in his case and yours it was a second contract with the school. I can only assume that in both cases the school was pretty fair/reasonable in the first year, otherwise why would someone resign? Yet something happens and suddenly "decent" employers try to live life on the shady side. This is another reason why working in the private sector is so risky, even if you recieve good, honest reviews on a place (or in this case, experienced it yourself) the chips can turn in a heartbeat.

PS. Anychance this fine educational institution is in Daejeon?

chachee99 · Joined: 20 Oct 2004 Location: Seoul Korea

You should report this ASAP. You should have stopped working 3 months ago. If your boss hasn't paid you now, don't expect your boss to be putting a big deposit into your bank anytime soon. You are just free labor in his eyes.

ESL teachers need to practice the "no pay no work" philosophy. Financial woes is not excuse for stiffing your employees out of money they are entitled to.

bejarano-korea · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

You are a scouser - what would your cityfolk do about not getting paid?
Especially after 3 months!

Are you allright for money? PM if you need a few quid!

Go and get this bastard by the balls via the labour board!

kscouse · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

Cheers,

I'm good for money - I

I would love not to get fired - be able to see out my contract - get the 18 or so million that I will be owed come April- and sail off to a more secure venture.

Sounds easy enough lol

Hopefully the labour board will help me out - or my boss will man up and settle his debts.

Sounds easy enough lol

Laters

Kimchieluver · Joined: 02 Mar 2005

Chris Kwon · Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Location: North Korea

Can you start a site to notify people of who the shady hagwons are so people in the future don't have to avoid these situations?

Mi Yum mi · Joined: 28 Jan 2008

Why do you need to ask? If you don't get paid for 3 month you report the guy.

Then you do damage to his business without getting caught. Make sure it doesn't come back and bite you on the ass.

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

OP, this job is down the drain. You will need someone who speaks Korean to help you file at Labor. everything is in korean. You need to file for the money AND a letter of release. After you file at Labor, go to Immigration and let them know that you have an ongoing Labor case. You need to do this just in case your boss gets mad and lies to Immigration about you and your status.
In about a week, labor will let you know the hearing date.

BTW, protect your documents, especially your diploma and contract.

I-am-me · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Location: Hermit Kingdom

It astounds me how people will work for free. I can understand 1 month, but 3? Give me a break!! People like you are a reason why hagwon owners will continue to screw teachers. Did you ever hear the saying, "time is money" ? I live by it.

regicide · Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Location: United States