Korean Job Discussion Forums

[irwinpryce]

Hi,
I am in a real sticky and shite situation. My pay is usually late (generally by a few days, I usually kick off about it) and I have never recieved a pay slip. I have requested a pay slip and asked the owner of the franchise and manager as well as my boss.

In the end I gave up, there was nothing I could do, I am the only foreigner and there is only 1 person there who speks broken English.

I am contracted to recieve 2.2million wons per month. However my pay has been varied, in and around 1.95million. I worked it out to be around 4percent tax, plus 4percent pension being taken off, which would be about right.

Today I asked about it and wa told I was being paid 2million won per month. With deductions for appartment cleaning (stairs etc.) No mention about taxes.

They said they had made a mistake and paid me less, not knowing my pay was ment to be 2.2 million. (Bullshit) They offered me the difference as an extra bonus at the end, otherwise they will pay me it now and start paying me what I am owed.

Obviously I wouldn't stand for extra as a bonus, as its taking the piss, and how can I trust the, given what they have done.

My question to all who are more in the know is, what the hell is going on? Why am I not being charged taxes and pension? Obviously its a diddle, but what wrong could/would come of me for not paying taxes? How can I get around this? Any advice is welcome...

Thanks

[moosehead]

you have several problems here and you need to sort them out one by one.

first of all, you aren't being paid on a regular basis - what does your contract say?

**to all newbies reading this*** make SURE you have a pay date stipulated in your contracted as in "the 25th of every month."

second, you aren't receiving an accounting of the money you ARE paid - taxes, deductions, etc.

third, you say there's a discrepancy in the amount you are supposed to be paid.

do you have a contract? what does it say about salary, etc?

IF you are working legally and IF you have your contract - even if you signed one but they never gave you a copy - you might want to consider calling the labor office at 1350 - listen and there will be an E message on there. You can call this number anywhere in Korea. Know your school's address when you call so if they want you to go into a labor office they'll know what region to send you to.

you can try and make a list and sit down with your director and discuss it - chances are they understand E better than you think - or just go on and call the Labor Office - it's your call.

either way - let us know what happens, ok?

oh, and if you are illegal - you're pretty much screwed.

[BS.Dos.]

If they're being this unprofessional with basic stuff like payslips, then I'd put money on them not paying into your pension fund. You hear of this type of crap far too often on dave's. I'm starting to think that there must be some kind of crooked hagwon boss annual convention or something given just how widespread and prevalent these stories are.

I don't work in a hagwon nor have I ever, so my advice is limited. However, my GF used to and every month around the 25th when she'd finally been paid (she was suppose to get paid on the 20th of each month) I'd invariably hear about how pissed off she was because it was late and that she never got a payslip with a breakdown of her deductions etc.

Now, my GF never got short-changed with her pay; it was always what it should have been, so in that respect, your circumstances are different. Basically, I think a lot of these hagwon bosses have had no formal business training and are just completely dumb into how businesses should be run and how employees should be treated. It wouldn't surprise me if your boss just didn't fucking know what he's supposed to be deducting you each month and just pulls a random figure out of his ass and then maybe scratches another 50,000 off for good measure.

First up, you need to let them know that you're not happy being paid late. God knows my GF CTs would kick-up a right shit-storm if their pay was late or if there were any other general problems so, you should too. Tactfully of course, but you need to get in their faces, get their attention, make sure you hang on to it and then create a fuss about it. Don't let them play good cop and brush you off. Insist that they listen to you.

Next, when they finally do cough up, you need to repeat the above and really make a point about asking how your deductions are being calculated. If you reckon there screwing you, then show them your workings and let them know that you know. Seriously, I've only been here for 15-months now, nothing compared to some of the old heads out here, but I already know that these Koreans; some, not all, are (for want of a better expression) very shrewd and calculating when it comes to handing over coin. Sorry to be so blunt in my generalization, but fuckit. There's the way it ought to be, the way it should be and the way it is. Basically, you've got to shake them down for what your due. Physically if you have to.

This may be a tough sell for you and you may find that you accept what they give etc just for an easy life. Don't be a pu55y. They owe you and they're fucking you about and you need to let them know that it is completely unacceptable. Period.

What you've said gets repeated in some shape or form every other week on daves. It's fuking disgusting that these cunts can fuk people about like this after you've come over here to help these bastards improve their lot.

Good luck to you with it.

[irwinpryce]

[jadarite]

It makes more sense to me to get paid at the end of the month. If you stick to the 25th, then there are 5 or 6 days the school either pays in advance or 5 or 6 days they hold for the following pay. This could create problems and disputes. If the pay is at the end of the month, then you know EXACTLY what should be paid, and if disputes arise you have a constant figure to work with.

[maingman]

dial 1345 ... 3 ?

[ttompatz]

[CentralCali]

Just because your pay "is what it should be" does not--repeat: does not--mean that you aren't being cheated. The boss very well may be pulling one of the stunts my worthless hagweon boss did when I worked for a hagweon. One stunt was to report my pay to the Pension Office as 1/2 of what it really was.

The only way to know if the money deducted has gone to the right places is to check in person at the Pension, National Health, and Tax offices.

[cruisemonkey]

[branchsnapper]

I worked for 4 years for a national university. Never got any pay slips. I didn't get cheated too badly either I guess. It's all about details in Korea, you have to suss out your own situations, not demand regularity (and of course people made a fuss about the pay slips, but to no avail).

[jellobean]

When a friend of mine what having difficulty getting a pay slip, he made it himself (in English and Korean together) and gave it to his boss to stamp.

You know the standard deductions and their percents. Find out if there are any other deductions (sometimes hagwons take out utilities -- if this is the case, ask to see the bills).

Salary
- 4.5% for pension
- 1.9ish% for taxes (you can get the exact number for your salary from the NTS site)
- 2.45% (I think, someone correct me if I'm off)
= what should be in your account.

Write up a pay slip and take it to the boss. Do it on the computer and make it look good. Show him your calculations politely, ask why your pay is not the same. Insist that he stamp the slip with his stamp. If you have a stamped pay slip, you can go through tax, pension, labor board later to get the money that wasn't put in your account.

[buymybook]

[mountainous]

[irwinpryce]

Hi,
O.k, further to this,

It has taken me several weks to chase after the money my boss owes me. My 'supportive recruiter' who lives near me emailed me to ask if i would work at another school at some event which I am needed for. I said while it is illegal and I have always turned them down before I would be willing to help provided all money owed has been given to me before it.

They are now making up some bulshit excuses saying 2.2million was for an experienced teacher in seoul and they gave me the wrong contract. They also said that my director hasnt paid any taxes (and that pension isnt required as I am from the U.K) so I should settle for 2.0.

I know they are crooked scum blah blah, I have tried all I can.
What I want to know----

Is this normal for people in Hagwons?
Do MOST hagwon boses diddle people out of money or is it VERY rare.
Is it common.
Do many hagwons not pay into tax or pension?

My reason for asking these questions is that I want to see if it is worth staying the next 4 moths, as they could bugger me on severance and flight.

P.S What are the LIKELY consequences of not paying tax and pension?

Thanks

[xCustomx]

Do you have a copy of the contract that you and your boss signed? If it says they will pay you 2.2 per month, then you need to hold them to it. If they gave you the wrong contract and they signed it, then that's THEIR fault, not yours. Getting 2.0 at a hagwon nowadays is a slap in the face. I was making that much 4 years ago without any experience.

Since you only have 4 months left, I'd try to stick it out and get what is still owed to you. You may want to approach your boss in a month and say that you'd like to get details on your flight home so you can start to make plans. If they don't want to discuss your plane ticket, then that's a red flag.

I would not recommend working at another school, even if your hagwon owes you money. The last thing you want is for your school to find out and then fire you. I fthat happens, you can kiss your flight home and severance goodbye, and there won't be anything you can do to get them back.