Korean Job Discussion Forums

[K-monster]

My last contract was due to end on September 21. However, on August 23 my ex-(hagwon) boss dropped the bombshell on me that the next day would be my last and I would have to move out of my apartment in a week's time. She didn't want me starting the new term and thought I had been told about the situation already.

I pointed out that under Korea Labor Standards Act, she had to give me 30 days written notice. Up until then, we'd had a good relationship/no problems and she assured me that she would pay me everything I was owed. Stupidly, and somewhat naively, I believed her. I left without fuss (I had something in the pipeline anyway, and I she'd given me her word that I'd be paid for the last month/severance+benefits).

Oh how wrong I was.

It took me more than a month to get me severance pay, flight money and vacation pay off her - she claimed I hadn't completed the contract - and now, she's refusing to pay my 30 days notice. Oh, and my last paycheck was 500,000 won short - no explanation has been forthcoming/no pay stubs.

She called my recruiter and tried to get them to convince me to drop my claim, but given her attitude, I really don't want to. She seems to think it's ok to give teachers one day's notice because it suits her. She told the recruiter she'd paid me my severance etc. as a goodwill gesture, even though she was legally obligated to pay me as August 23 plus 30 days notice meant my contract was completed. It's like she is totally blind to the whole notice period thing.

I now want to make a complaint to the Labor Board.

Does any one have experience of going to the Labor Board with a notice pay dispute? How seriously do they take it? Or am I just wasting my time? How long do cases usually take to get settled? and, can I go to any Labor Board or does it have to be the one closest to my old hagwon?

Also, the woman is obviously a fairly archetypal greedy, unscrupulous operator, and I would like any prospective employees to be made aware of her. However, the school is fairly new with only a small number of foreign staff, so any negative posts can easily be linked back to me. I'm aware that Korean defamation laws are quite strict. What are the chances of being sued?

[YTMND]

[newb]

Did you get a written notice?

If not, you may have a little difficulty making a labor board claim. It's her word against yours. With that said, it never hurts to try.

Take a Korean speaking friend when you make the labor claim. It's very easy to make your claim. It causes lots of headache for your boss more than anything else.

[EZE]