Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Nierlisse]

This is the response I got from a school when I asked about pension and medical insurance.


"All western teachers from 2009 in *school* must have an insurance and pension. Only if teachers don't want to have them, then the school let them not have them.

As you ask us that 3.3% is the independent contrator. Yes, it is. But, this is not against by Korean laws.

If you choose not to have an insurance and pension, you are responsible for payment of all personal taxes on the your salary according to their Governments laws (approximately 3.3% or teacher�s gross income) and the Institute will be responsible for the payment of taxes to the Korean Government. In case of sick, one half the amount of the premium for medical insurance will be given to the teacher by the Institute (Maximum 200,000 won in Korean Currency) only if hospital fees apply. The school will not pay for the teacher�s chronic disease and test fee for teacher�s private health care.

If you choose to have an insurance and pension, you are responsible for payment of all income taxes on the Teacher's salary according to their Governments laws (approximately 7.49% or teacher�s gross income and you have to pay the cost of pension(4.5% of your gross income) and insurance(2.54% of your gross income) coverage and the costs of this coverage will be half by employer and half by employee.You will be covered by medical benefits under the Korean Medical Insurance Union, a Government Health Organization."

Why will my tax rate go up from 3.3% to 7.49% if I choose to have pension and medical insurance? Why do they say we must have those and then in the next sentence, say it is optional? Is this just a bad translation or has everything I've learned in my 6 months of researching ESL in Korea been wrong? I wanted to make sure I was not getting the "independent contractor" tax rate and now I'm being told that my rate will be 3.3% and it's just a coincidence that they are the same. Which could be true, for all I know. But this reply I received about the rest does not reassure me otherwise.

Please, someone tell me if I am wrong or if the school is wrong here.

[plynx]

[CentralCali]

[Korussian]

[jadarite]

Have they pulled the following on you yet, "Oh, you don't need to talk to other teachers about this"? Or, "You shouldn't compare your contract with others. Our deal is different (and special?)"

If not, they will.

[PigeonFart]

Name and shame this school.

[wheredowego]

Wow. Imagine if, back home, a company wrote something like "if you choose to opt into [said benefits required by law]..."
You could sue them and win without even taking the job in the first place!

[SharkDiver]