Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lhasa]

My contract wil be completed in roughly a week and waiting for my last months salary, airfare, and severance before heading home.

Was told the following today:

#1. I can expect my final salary on the 25th of June...okay....if it arrives on time.


#2. My severance will be up to a month late and they will wire it to me after I return home....not okay....likely wouldn't happen.


#3. They weren't expecting my airfare to be so expensive and are reluctant to fly me all the way to Ottawa and instead to either Toronto or Vancouver....not okay.


I have so far told them that I will stay in Korea until I receive all payments and their response was that I would have to pay the rent.


Questions:

a. I understand that the Labour Board has a 2 week rule for payment of severance. Should I speak to Labour ASAP or wait until the 2 week period has passed?


b. Is there anything I can do to have the school continue paying for my rent while I wait?


c. Anything to be done regarding flight home? Contract states "The school agrees to buy a return ticket for the teacher to return to his/her home country upon completion of the contract."

[Skippy]

Severance can be a max of two weeks late. That is the law. Whoops you know that. You can only really go to the labor board after the 2 weeks is up.

Nothing really in the rules for the school having to house and pay for you to stick around and wait. Not unless you are working.

As to plane ticket. Them is sort of the breaks. Why not go with the Toronto and how you can get a cheap ticket rest of the way to Ottawa.

Sometimes the ending and benefits takes some negotiation. Give some room and understanding. Just do not give them a complete break. Also FIND OUT WHY? Why is severance going to be late?

One point. What kind of school.

If you are with a public school then thinks are pretty safe.

[lhasa]

Thanks Skippy.

It's a hagwon.

Immediately after she mentioned the severance being late I told her about the 2 week labour law and she didn't seem to care.

I assume severance is late for the same reason that most of our salaries have been a week or so late....cash flow issues. They are also likely hoping I leave the country so they can forget about it. I'm still not sure if the teacher I replaced ever received his severance after he flew out.

As for airfare and rent, I can live with that as long as they don't try to charge me an exorbitant rate. Generally speaking, do you know how much monthly rent would be for a studio in a mid sized city away from a major urban area?

[Skippy]

[lhasa]

Thanks again. Yes, it's a sticky situation for many reasons.

Regarding rent, I think the school meant that I would have to pay them to stay in my current apartment or find an alternative. I have no idea how much they would want or how much they should want.

Here's my prediction. Flights are getting more expensive as summer holidays approach. The school sticks to their idea of paying severance in 1 month so they buy my flight departing in 5 weeks or so. I call Labour after the 2 week waiting period and try to get my money sooner. End result, I'm stuck in Korea for more than a month. I'll try to sort it out but looks like I'll be slightly screwed no matter what happens.

[pjstarbuck]

For cheap/short-term housing, look into a goshiwon (고시원)/goshitel(고시텔)/one-room (원룸)

http://wiki.galbijim.com/Goshiwon

Of course, go check the place out in person before you put money down. Some can be located in poorer/seedier areas, but my girlfriend lived in one while she was studying for the teacher's exam here in Seoul and it was perfectly safe.