Korean Job Discussion Forums

[EZE]

I`m in Japan doing my visa run, but yesterday evening I was delayed by border control.

I handed my passport to the agent and she was looking at something on her computer for a while. I was told to go to a room on the right, where a young guy was looking at information on the computer screen. I could see an old ARC or maybe both of my former ones on his screen.

The female agent who originally looked at my passport came into the room. I asked her what the delay was about. She said my former boss at Wonderland had filed against me. I chuckled and asked, "Filed what?" The agent had a very smug and satisfied look on her face when she said, "You didn`t pay unemployment."

I explained that an Australian co-worker had quit seven months into his contract on April 9th and I left on April 11th, and we both left for the same reason, because we were scammed repeatedly by the director. I gave her an internet address where she could see proof that I had been billed for utilities from May 2011 through September 2011 even though my first day of work was August 23rd, 2011, along with proof of other issues.

I was told to wait outside of the office. After a while, the agent was no longer smug, but looked sympathetic and told me to go board my flight.

The thing is, I have a return flight to Seoul tomorrow. Before I go through customs, I`ll ask them for the details of these allegations, the won amount, and so on. I`ll　try to get some printouts from them, so I can upload them and show you guys.

I believe the allegation was made very recently, since I had a layover at ICN in August and nothing was said. I entered through customs, spent the night in the sauna in the ICN basement, and boarded my flight out of Korea the next day with nothing said about any of this.

[YTMND]

Looks like the employer just wanted to make it difficult for you if you decided to leave. Isn't unemployment supposed to be paid for by the school? Aren't they in fact admitting that they didn't do their job by deducting the appropriate amounts from your salary?

I don't see how your other bills play into this or why immigration cares. I think the more you worry about this, the more the previous employer wins. If you get your new visa, and you have no problems with the new employer, then forget the old employer. Move on.

PS: On your way back, Japanese immigration won't be able to read the Korean stuff you might post. So, I highly doubt you will get the same treatment on your return flight.

[EZE]

What is unemployment? Is it the same thing as pension, or something different?

I won`t be discussing it with Japanese customs, just Korean customs.

[YTMND]

The only time that came up was when I was working at a public school. They wanted unemployment insurance money for hikorea if I am not mistaken. When you are unemployed then you would get some money I assume.

So, it is bit of a joke that they would say you didn't pay into it. Unless you were trying collect on it, then it might be an issue.

That makes me wonder if the immigration officer who questioned you just made it up about unemployment thinking you tried to collect on it for a year and then were trying to flee. It could have just been a security measure where you were picked at random and your previous employer actually said nothing.

Unless a second officer brings it up and is aware of the first time, then I doubt you have been flagged or have anything to worry about. Immigration will see a new visa, new employer, and wave you through.

[BigBuds]

E-2 visa holders aren't required to pay unemplyment as they can't claim it.

F series visa holders are supposed to pay it as they can legally claim it but I've never heard of anyone claiming it. I somehow suspect they would make it impossible for F series visa holders to claim it anyway.

[Skippy]

[YTMND]

I don't know about E2 visa holders not being able to collect on unemployment. It might be possible within a small window of time (makes sense though that it would be less than an F visa holder).

http://teachkorea.co.nz/?page_id=15

and also this at the following site, http://www.hikorea.go.kr/pt/FaqDetailR_en.pt?cnsltGbCd=40&faqGbCd=4005&faqSeq=24&locale=en

"The Unemployment Payment is granted to those who had worked more than 180 Days out of the last 18 Months of Employment (6 month out of the last 12 Months for those unemployed before 31 Mar 00) before being dismissed due to unavoidable Reasons (Bankruptcy, Restructuring, etc..), but positively trying to be reemployed. The Payment will be granted within 12 Months (10 Months for those unemployed before 31 Mar 00) from the Day after Dismissal, upon prescribed Days of Payment."

[ttompatz]

[young_clinton]

Doesn't the employer automatically take it out of the check and if not how would they know whether or not you paid it. That is truly bizarre. Another Avoid Wonderland warning notice.

[YTMND]

[EZE]

Yeah, I thought it was strange too.

The immigration officer definitely said I didn`t pay unemployment. And I have always been on E-2 visas. I have never tried to collect unemployment and had never really heard of it in Korea until Sunday evening.

The male agent definitely had my former ARC card(s) pulled up because I could see my face on it and I could see the back of the card and the back of either the same card or another one.

Very strange, but a pretty funny experience.

Thanks for the replies and information about unemployment and weird immi stunts at Incheon.

[ontheway]

[EZE]

ontheway,

I think that may be a possible explanation. I`ll ask them tonight when I get to Incheon.

I wonder what my boss thinks I owe her. I quit during my eighth month so, per my contract, I`m in the clear on airfare and recruiter fee. She has a half million won of deposit money which should pay any utilities with 400,000 won to spare. Plus, since my first day of missed work was April 12, that`s an additional million won of my pay that she has.

Most likely, she`s trying to charge me for things I threw out of the apartment when I moved in: the bed that smelled very strongly of urine, the fridge filled with living and dead insects, used condoms, old food on the counter, hundreds of empty cans and bottles. I gave her an opportunity to keep the bed and fridge. I asked her if she wanted me to take them to her residence or to Wonderland school for storage, but she told me I wanted to keep them. I told her I definitely did not want to keep them and they were leaving the apartment.

Still the deposit money alone should be enough to cover the urine bed and insect fridge with money left over.

Geez, and she wonders why the Australian guy and I quit. I heard another guy pulled a runner after three days when she tried to move him into my apartment before I moved into it.

[YTMND]

[Porksta]

Wait, so schools are not supposed to take unemployment out of my checks?