Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Juregen]

[BackRow]

[CentralCali]

In that case, if you do decide to send my draft e-mail which can be found upthread, be sure to add the fact that your employer violated Korean labor law by having you working at a place not approved for you by Immigration. Immigration does have the authority and has been known to use such authority to fine employers who violate Immigration law in that manner. Since you are no longer in Korea, you have no fear of being detained. Anyway, there's no way your former employer is going to speak to a soul. He's just harassing you because he can't understand that his lies and blas� attitude towards his own promises (contract) and obligations (labor law and immigration law) created the situation.

Want more fun? Send a similar e-mail to the owner of the franchise name (YBM, EBY, whatever) including a blurb about you holding them responsible for failing to ensure the local franchisee is abiding by contract and law. It won't have any monetary effect for you; however, if you rattle the main franchise office enough times, they'll finally get fed up dealing with your former employer and not renew their contract with him allowing them to use their name.

Even more fun is the simple fact that if the boss has withheld even one won from your pay improperly, you or your agent can compel him to appear at the Labor Board for unlawful withholding of pay (or whatever the current legal term is for that stunt).

Friend, you're in the catbird seat at the moment. Might as well enjoy yourself. And sometime in the future be sure to inform the former employer, his franchise headquarters, and anyone else you can think of how this experience turned you off of working in Korea ever again and that you'll be more than proud to shout that from the hilltops.

Then work in another country, preferably one where the authorities actually do give a hoot about the treatment of employees, even foreign employees.

[ZIFA]

[silkhighway]

Don't reply to the email and everyone will forget about it. Don't add fuel to the fire by fighting out someone else's agenda. It doesn't matter who's at fault, who said what, who did what. It's just business that didn't work out, so you left. And everyone lived happily ever after. The end.

And a little life lesson. Don't ever apologize in business without first taking advisement from an attorney. Don't leave "I'm sorry" notes, don't ever admit fault. Just do what you have to do and be done with it. I think the reason they may feel they have a chance of intimidating you into giving the airfare money back is because you left them a note before you left, presumably being apologetic. They're taking advantage of your naivety.

[WadRUG'naDoo]

Just hope that he doesn't tell your mommy.