Korean Job Discussion Forums

[NYC_Seoul]

So it's my last month here in ROK.

and my boss is saying the 50,000 won that was taken from my paycheck automatically everymonth listed as "phone deposit" ( I dont have a phone, and I don't have internet either) will not be returned to me ... because it was used to pay the monthly maintenance.

Now here's the thing, the guy I replaced when I came here also paid this "phone deposit" and he got it back. He's still in korea and he's saying that he got the money back (with a small bit of arguing) and that the rent and maintenance are provided for by the school.

Now he was also here when the first (of three directors since ive been here) was running the school.

any legal advice? am i entitled to the money? i mean by law doesn't korea require they take care of rent, what about maintenance?

[ChilgokBlackHole]

Maintenance on what?

[NYC_Seoul]

I assume this refers to the Ajummas that clean the stairs once a month...but Im still just wondering if my school is legally obligated to cover this cost since it falls in the same ballpark as rent.. I mean i pay my utilities obviously

[Seoulio]

[reactionary]

Everyone pays the maintenance fee. 50,000 sounds normal, a lot cheaper than my officetel. He COULD be lying and it could be less, but probably not.

I wouldn't listen to the chest puffers. I don't know of anyone who doesn't pay their maintenance fee. It sucks and it should be considered rent, but that's how it is. It's considered a utility fee, like garbage/sewer back home.

"Phone deposit" just sounds like some dumb English phrase he got off the internet or something. I mean, why wouldn't you have called him out on this before? 50,000 won a month for a phone deposit? I would've called BS on that my first month.

[ChilgokBlackHole]

[pkang0202]

[Seoulio]

[ThingsComeAround]

[reactionary]

I have experienced both. I have had my maintenance fee withheld and my boss paying it, and I have paid it myself (which is actually a pain in the ass sometimes if they don't let you just do atm transfers).

What he is describing sounds like the maintenance fee. He mentioned the ajumma cleaning the stairs, so he probably isn't paying it separately/on his own right now. Unless he's completely clueless of his own bills.

Anyway, yeah, fight for your rights, etc....

[ChilgokBlackHole]

[NYC_Seoul]

so the best definition i got was "maintenance is building maintenance". That was form my schools Academic Coordinator. The HR people at the head office had this to say. (kkep in mind more than one persons staffs their HR dept.)

Normally, the deposit it refunded as long as you don't have any
outstanding bills such as gas, electric, internet, etc.
If you always paid these bills on time then you should get the money back.

then

Every housing rentals has a maintenance fee here in Korea and that is
part of the utility which should be paid by the teacher.
I'm not sure how it's done but usually these bills are taken
care of each month by the teachers. If your school pays for the maintenance
for their teachers then that deposit makes sense.


I said
is this mentioned in the contract?

Yes, read Article 9-3.

and that says
Any and all fees, charges, costs, taxes, expenses, etc., incurred in using the housing will be paid by Employee. Employer shall reserve the right to deduct 50,000 Korean won per
month as phone deposit. Employer shall reimburse this phone deposit to Employee at the end of the Period of Employment. If Employee chooses not to have a landline telephone, no phone deposit shall be deducted."

nowhere is "maintenance" specifically referred to . . . but maybe it's consider a "fee, charge or cost"?

[Seoulio]

[lifeinkorea]

What I don't understand is why are people saying boss and the 50,000 won? If there is any money paid, it should be going to the landlord, not the boss.

If they are taking it out of your salary, then you need a payroll sheet that shows this. Then, get confirmation with the landlord that they received the money.

As long as they doing it, consider it a convenience. I had to pay the same amount every month at my last place, so I decided to transfer 3 months worth into the landlords account. 3 months later they would complain to my school I only paid once. RIGHT, but look at the amount!!! Finally they shut up and never complained. It would have made more sense for the school to have just paid them along with the rent and take it out of my pay each month. That's what it seems like they are doing in this situation.

For the record, I had 30,000 out in rural Pyeongtaekland (minus gas and electricity), and now in Incheonville, I am paying 70,000 (minus only gas) at an officetel. I don't pay anything else except gas.

[wylies99]

OP, he's OBVIOUSLY lying to you.