Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Overture1928]

I am still investigating everything and haven't told my school or tax/pension/medical office my suspicion yet. 3rd job in Korea, been working at my current school for 3 pay periods. My pay stub seems fairly accurate with the calculations I have made for pension/medical/taxes. There is one fishy thing, they actual put my salary at 2,300,000 and gave me an extra 100,000 식대 pay which they don't calculate pension/medical/tax on. Anyway, I called the pension office to double check things, they said the salary they have listed is 1,900,000. My salary is actually 2,400,000 (excluding housing). It seems like they are making mostly correct deductions from my pay, but paying a smaller amount to tax, medical, pension offices and I assume keeping the difference. In addition, when it comes to pension, they are not only pocketing the difference but not contributing as much as they should so my lump sum will be less. I did some quick math and estimate in total it's about 60,000원 they are stealing per month, 720,000 a year. What is the best way to deal with this?

1) Just go to the pension/medical/office or labor board and tell them what's up.

2) Get the facts/math, tell my school I know what's up, let them continue with their scheme so they avoid being fined, make sure they make appropriate deductions from now on based on 1,900,000 and payback the money they stole/I will lose on pension?

The thing is, I am already almost 4 months into this contract, I am really looking forward to finishing this contract and moving on to another country or just going back home. I don't want the next 8 months to be hell because they got fucked/fined because of me. I also don't want to leave the job and sign another full year with another school. Should I just try to cut a deal with my boss?

[pmwhittier]

On my second job, I found out that my employer had signed me up for medical as an independent contractor and reported my income as 1 mil to the healthcare office. When I found out, I told the school about it. I was then immediately fired. That is almost assuredly what they will do to you as well.

I was in my 10th month, so they were required by law to give me 30 days notice. You being in your 4th month means that they can fire you with no notice and the law is on the school's side.

It sucks, A LOT, but as Elsa says, "Let it go."

[Fallacy]

Contact the pension, tax and health authorities directly. Tell them the situation, let them file a report, and do the investigating for you. They will contact your school and get to the bottom of it. If there is fraud, or just mistake, such as clerical error, they will find and correct it. All of this has the benefit of giving you cover, too. Call the phone numbers, or even visit the regional offices, speak with them, and let them take care of it. To be honest, when you call just 1 of those 3 institutions, they will begin to coordinate with each other on this anyway, as it is a general rule that when one is cheated, they all are, and recently databases are linked these days just for this transparency purpose.

[Overture1928]

[liveinkorea316]

Firstly you have to realise what does and doesn't concern you. What I mean is the tax and medical really doesn't matter to you as long as they are paying the correct amounts based on reported income.

Secondly you haven't stated what kind of school you work at. This is relevant. Universities have a capacity to itemise your pay in different ways so more of it is untaxable.

Without knowing your workplace it's hard to know specifics. The pension is the only one you want to focus on. They may be doing nothing wrong... Or not.

[Overture1928]

[pmwhittier]

[liveinkorea316]

One thing you could do is simply go down to your pension office and bring evidence of your pay. I live in ask for a payslip from your employer next time and also bring your bank account print out.

Don't tell your employer. He should get a nice letter from the pension office after a week or so.