Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lifeinkorea]

UPDATE to the thread at http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=168314

Short story - during my phone interview I was given promises on what I would earn and be allowed to do, but there was no communication as to how those promises would be handled. I am now trying to deal with them one by one.

Details - I assumed I would get paid at the end of the month, but as noted in my contract it mentions getting paid within the first 10 days. Ok, no problem, but I got paid on the 15th. So, I was interested in why the delay. My co-teacher was also not paid, so it obviously wasn't me but the "system" working its magic. Also, I was only paid 345,000 won but worked 8 days in September (from the 21st). You do the math.

Along with this, the signing in and checking out issue was being discussed. I asked about this, and eventually got the answer in email last night. I wasn't paid for 8 days. Their "system" only pays up until the 23rd. Then, I will be paid next month the regular monthly salary. Meanwhile, there are 5 unpaid days. Whenever they pay me there will be 5 days which carry over to the next month.

Is this a big deal? Well, not really by itself, but when you consider I didn't get paid until the 15th, that means if they do the same next month, I will have worked roughly 15 days without pay before I get my previous month's pay (which is this month).

I was to go in today to the office and discuss my payment schedule with two important figures. One was the person who phone interviewed me, and the other was the person who is to replace her and also was the one who emailed me. However, since I got the email, I emailed back to let them know I understood their schedule and didn't need further explanations.

Boy, was this the WRONG thing to do. I go to school today which starts at 2pm, and I understood I wouldn't have to go in until 1pm. Normally, they want me to arrive at 11am to prepare for an hour, and then lunch is 12-1pm. However, they said I could go in at 1pm and do the 1 hour prep then. We did mid-term exams so there was no preparing, but I still arrived shortly before 1pm.

When I arrived at the school, I was welcomed by not only the 2 people I was to meet this morning but another lady who has some role in the office working with foreigners and low and behold, the owner!!! He was in Singapore these past few weeks, so he didn't know what was going on.

He was not happy. I would not do this signing in and checking out, I requested a schedule in email which he took as a legal threat, and since I didn't come in until 1pm, he was considering firing me. He was going through the contract looking for the smallest things to find me guilty with. At that point I said, "It looks like he is just trying to find a way to fire me. So, what is it that he wants?". He wants me to sign in and check out.

I told them that I didn't have to do this before and it was never requested before coming here. They then said, "Yes, but who is paying you? You have to follow company's rules". This is where I saw a red flag, and I felt this kind of thing needs to be mentioned on these forums. I then replied, "Well, I am willing to obey the rules and laws of Korea nationwide".

Moral of the story, don't let them make you a slave to their "system". I don't think Labor Board will care that the school is paying late like the schedule I mentioned, but I am curious if anyone else has had success fighting something similar. Maybe the pay time was much worse. Any out there?

Please share your story.

[sugarkane59]

Why are you so bothered about signing in and out? Don't be so ridiculous, just do it - it's nothing sinister really!

[lifeinkorea]

Well, the reason is that I took the job on the premise I wouldn't have to sit around like with those GEPIK jobs. Those are 40 hours, but you only teach 22. So, this way, I can teach 25 hours, but the other 15 are mine.

Now, by signing in and out, I have to "fulfill" more hours, put myself at jeopardy of being "late", and I have never had to do it in the past 6 years. I don't see what it accomplishes. I work on the weekend when I want to plan lessons. They are getting way more hours out of me than I am asking pay for.

Could be funny though. I am thinking of some skits to do in front of the VP when I go sign in.