| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Armin_Tamzarian
Joined: 28 Jun 2011
|
 Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 11:39 pm Post subject: Can I go to any Pension Office? |
 |
|
I recently finished two years working at a hagwon in Gwangju and for the last few months after I discovered that the bosses were screwing us out of National Pension and Health Insurance (the old Independent Contractor thing), I tried to get my status changed at one of the local Pension offices (there are three in Gwangju). Everytime I tried to get my status changed it was either: a.) You're right but I can't do anything for you b.) You're wrong because your bosses have the power to determine your status or c.) Go to the (labor office, tax office, immigration office), they can help you.
I'm getting sick of the runaround and I don't want to sue my bosses if don't have to (but I will if push comes to shove). I was wondering if I went up to the NPS International Office in Seoul if I'd have a better chance of this being taken care of? I don't live in Gwangju anymore so would this work or would I be told to go back to one of the Gwangju regional offices? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 1:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
I'll just relay what others have advised, "Call them".
So you could just call the Gwangju office instead of actually going there in person.
My reply to this advice is, "Do they really speak English?"
So, you may need a Korean to help you. I would do this before going. However, going in person might be what is needed for them to take action. Call first and see how helpful they are. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ontheway
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Location: Somewhere under the rainbow...
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 7:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
It's perfectly legal to be an Independent Contractor on an E2 visa if your contract is set up that way.
The big question: What does your contract say? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Armin_Tamzarian
Joined: 28 Jun 2011
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 9:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
| ontheway wrote: |
It's perfectly legal to be an Independent Contractor on an E2 visa if your contract is set up that way.
The big question: What does your contract say? |
It says that I'm a full time employee of the hagwon at 120 hours per month. Nowhere in the contract does it say that I'm an Independent Contractor. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chachee99
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
Location: Seoul Korea
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 5:56 am Post subject: |
|
|
From my understanding you can check your mension at any office in Korea. Your pension is linked to the number on your ARC. However, I have no idea what happens to your pension if your status changes. My guess would be to have a copy of your ARC number. If it's the same then your pension record shold how much you have when it who contrivuted it, and the date.
Also, based on my own experience, if you leave Korea and come back, you will be given the same ARC number, even if you come back with a different passport number. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
english puppet
Joined: 04 Nov 2011
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 2:27 am Post subject: |
|
|
Just curious - maybe someone's posted on this already but if you leave a contract early from public school,can you still get your pension $ from the time you were working?
Thanks. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 2:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
| english puppet wrote: |
Just curious - maybe someone's posted on this already but if you leave a contract early from public school,can you still get your pension $ from the time you were working?
Thanks. |
y
e
s |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
english puppet
Joined: 04 Nov 2011
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 3:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
| koreatimes wrote: |
| english puppet wrote: |
Just curious - maybe someone's posted on this already but if you leave a contract early from public school,can you still get your pension $ from the time you were working?
Thanks. |
y
e
s |
Thanks KT. Good to know. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Armin_Tamzarian
Joined: 28 Jun 2011
|
| Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 10:46 am Post subject: |
|
|
| koreatimes wrote: |
I'll just relay what others have advised, "Call them".
So you could just call the Gwangju office instead of actually going there in person.
My reply to this advice is, "Do they really speak English?"
So, you may need a Korean to help you. I would do this before going. However, going in person might be what is needed for them to take action. Call first and see how helpful they are. |
I've called the local offices before but I can never get anyone on the phone who speaks English well enough to explain my situation. The international centre in Gwangju tried to help me out by providing counselling and translators. They were volunteers from the local university with a good level of English ability. Each time we went it ended either with confusion or frustration. I don't know if it's because of the translation or the fact that the translators are university students and so they can't be as assertive to people older than them. Also, maybe in Gwangju the pension offices there have never had to deal with this situation. I figure since I don't live in Gwangju anymore I should go up to Seoul since I'm bound to get someone there who has dealt with this kind of thing. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Armin_Tamzarian
Joined: 28 Jun 2011
|
| Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 10:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
| chachee99 wrote: |
From my understanding you can check your mension at any office in Korea. Your pension is linked to the number on your ARC. However, I have no idea what happens to your pension if your status changes. My guess would be to have a copy of your ARC number. If it's the same then your pension record shold how much you have when it who contrivuted it, and the date.
Also, based on my own experience, if you leave Korea and come back, you will be given the same ARC number, even if you come back with a different passport number. |
I left but I kept a scanned copy of my ARC for the number. I know from past visits that NPS keeps your number on file permanently. Also, I never contributed anything to pension because my boss registered me as an Independent Contractor. This is where the dispute lies. I'm trying to get my status changed because based on the wording of the contracts I signed with them, I believe I should have been classified as a full-time employee. I don't want to go the lawyer route if I don't have to. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
hari seldon
Joined: 05 Dec 2004
Location: Incheon
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 8:21 am Post subject: Re: Can I go to any Pension Office? |
|
|
| Armin_Tamzarian wrote: |
| I recently finished two years working at a hagwon in Gwangju and for the last few months after I discovered that the bosses were screwing us out of National Pension and Health Insurance... |
Were you furnished with a NHIC card two years ago? Didn't you ever pause to ask yourself, "Where's my medical card?"
As for which pension office is best qualified to help, I recommend the office on the 15th floor of the Kukdong building near Chungmuro station. I used them recently and found them very helpful. There's a map here:
http://www.nps.or.kr/jsppage/english/contact/mapFind.jsp |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Armin_Tamzarian
Joined: 28 Jun 2011
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:27 am Post subject: Re: Can I go to any Pension Office? |
|
|
| hari seldon wrote: |
| Armin_Tamzarian wrote: |
| I recently finished two years working at a hagwon in Gwangju and for the last few months after I discovered that the bosses were screwing us out of National Pension and Health Insurance... |
Were you furnished with a NHIC card two years ago? Didn't you ever pause to ask yourself, "Where's my medical card?"
As for which pension office is best qualified to help, I recommend the office on the 15th floor of the Kukdong building near Chungmuro station. I used them recently and found them very helpful. There's a map here:
http://www.nps.or.kr/jsppage/english/contact/mapFind.jsp |
They provided me with private medical insurance which we split the cost 50/50. The information provided by the recruiter on the website said that since hagwon's are private that employees of hagwons are not in the pension scheme. It wasn't until a friend of mine was leaving her hagwon and mentioned she had to go to the pension office for her refund that the curiosity kicked in. Oh well it's been a learning experience and now I know...and knowing is half the battle 
Thanks for the link. I'll call or drop in the next time I can and hopefully get the wheels in motion on this. Did they have any english speakers btw? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 7:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Most pension offices don't have English speakers. Bring a fluent Korean speaking friend. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Armin_Tamzarian
Joined: 28 Jun 2011
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 10:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ThingsComeAround wrote: |
| Most pension offices don't have English speakers. Bring a fluent Korean speaking friend. |
Yeah I'm getting someone for sure. I'm wondering though, will I be required to back pay the Health Insurance as well to be able to get the pension stuff done? I heard they were linked and so you can't do one without the other. I want to get everything sorted out (taxes, etc.) so I'm wondering if in order to do that I'd have have to back pay the Health Insurance to make everything kosher? It's not a big deal to me as long as it causes the hagwon to have to pay up too. This is more about punishing them than getting extra money from them. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
hari seldon
Joined: 05 Dec 2004
Location: Incheon
|
| Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 2:10 pm Post subject: Re: Can I go to any Pension Office? |
|
|
Sorry for not responding sooner. The NPS CSR I spoke with had good English fluency and was very helpful. So, yes, I would recommend using the NPS office near Chungmuro.
What was the name of the recruiting agency you used?
| Armin_Tamzarian wrote: |
| hari seldon wrote: |
| Armin_Tamzarian wrote: |
| I recently finished two years working at a hagwon in Gwangju and for the last few months after I discovered that the bosses were screwing us out of National Pension and Health Insurance... |
Were you furnished with a NHIC card two years ago? Didn't you ever pause to ask yourself, "Where's my medical card?"
As for which pension office is best qualified to help, I recommend the office on the 15th floor of the Kukdong building near Chungmuro station. I used them recently and found them very helpful. There's a map here:
http://www.nps.or.kr/jsppage/english/contact/mapFind.jsp |
They provided me with private medical insurance which we split the cost 50/50. The information provided by the recruiter on the website said that since hagwon's are private that employees of hagwons are not in the pension scheme. It wasn't until a friend of mine was leaving her hagwon and mentioned she had to go to the pension office for her refund that the curiosity kicked in. Oh well it's been a learning experience and now I know...and knowing is half the battle
Thanks for the link. I'll call or drop in the next time I can and hopefully get the wheels in motion on this. Did they have any english speakers btw? |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
