Korean Job Discussion Forums

twavelingteacher · Joined: 26 Jun 2007 Location: South Korea

I always thought the pensioin pay way one extra pay, and then the severance pay was a whole other pay. I thought they were two payments, two separate payments. My ps coteacher told me today the pension is the severance. what is the truth

nomad-ish · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 5:04 pm Post subject:

you're right, they're two separate payments. pension is your contribution (4.5% each month) plus your employer's contribution (4.5% each month) returned to you by requesting a pension refund at a government pension office, and severance payment is an average of the last 3 months (therefore basically one extra month's salary..if you complete a one year contract).

are you sure your school has been paying into the pension program?

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

your coteacher probably didn't understand your question and just said yes.

You will find that, when KOreans are unsure of themselves, they will still agree or say yes.

Make sure you ask the question again a few more times and phrase it differently until their confused look on their face disappears.

twavelingteacher · Joined: 26 Jun 2007 Location: South Korea

no she was very sure and had immediate answers when i said the two things were different. there was no confusion and she had a pat answer: "the gepik contract is unclear about severance and pension, so you can't tell me they are two different things. they are one thing and you don't get a severance money. i am right you are wrong."

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Better ask her if she knows how to read. It's QUITE clear in the contract.

twavelingteacher · Joined: 26 Jun 2007 Location: South Korea

no, i'm leaving soon.
with my severance, no matter what i will force it.

why they are doing this is beyond me. they can read the contract can't they.

i'm trying to figure out if they think i'm stupid and just didn't know about this severance, or if they are really ignorant of the truth. but my co teacher really had a pat answer prepared and i felt as if she was prepared for my rebellion.

another teacher too said he didn't understand severance pay or even know it existed.

all this after i settled with them on a non direct flight home out of niceness.

they have no coteacher here either teaching with me, so they are saving tons of money and i can't figure them out.

i almost walked out of school this morning. they tried to cheat me out of vacation days. they didn't pay me enough overtime during camp.

it's somewhat discouraging. i can tolerate alot but not this.

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

creesschaef · Joined: 18 Jun 2007 Location: Gyeonggi-do

I hope that you have contacted GEPIK about this cluster.

OK, so you don't have a co-teacher teaching with you, which might be a good thing based on what her answer was for your pension question. However, not being paid enough OT for a camp and trying to cheat you out of vacation days are big enough issues in and of themselves. Pension and severance are clearly explained in the contract, it shouldn't be a big issue.

She is not right, and you are definitely not wrong.

Scouse Mouse · Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Location: Cloud #9

Koreans call your severance pay "retirement". They also call your pension "retirement". This is because the severance is supposed to be your retirement money.

They are probably just confused. Your school only pays your severance. You claim the pension back from the governement (unless you are British - sucks sometimes!). Just be sure they are paying you an extra 1 month salary. And ask them in as clear a language as you can muster without confusing them when, not if, it will be paid. Point at the contract if it helps.

twavelingteacher · Joined: 26 Jun 2007 Location: South Korea

sorry, they aren't confused. they say severance and pension are one in the same. still trying to figure it out...

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Scouse Mouse · Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Location: Cloud #9

Don't worry about it being 2 seperate payments. Just wave a contract at them and point at the severance part and ask when it will be paid. If they say it won't be paid, ask for it in writing. Call Dain Bae on her direct line (031-249-0045) and tell them what they said and that you have it in writing. She will kick their arses into the next Japanese occupation!

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 7:35 am Post subject:

you've already tried talking to your co-teacher and she either doesn't know or is trying to cheat you.

go over her head to the foreign coordinator at GEPIK. better to get this sorted sooner rather than when you're packing your bags for the airport

Ut videam · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do

Problem already solved: http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?p=1653788#1653788

The only question remaining is why the OP felt the need to start two nearly identical threads.