Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Captain Corea]

[Derrek]

[tzechuk]

[some waygug-in]

I just got back from the labour board office.

Whooooo Hoooo! great help that was. Nobody there speaks more than 3 words of English. I have no one to go with me. After standing there waiting for 20 minutes, finally someone ushers me to a desk. Ask to see my ARC. Then after a few minutes of humming and hawing they tell me to go to Immigration. They don't even think to ask why I am there.

Got anymore "helpful" advice?

So basically I am S. O. L.

I have to go to Immigration and take my chances, or stay here and work for free. Ain't it fun?

I can feel a midnight run coming on.

[gmat]

How old are you?

[jaykimf]

If the contract you gave to immigration when you got your visa says you are working until April 30, that is as long as you can work, regardless of what it says on your visa. To work beyond the contract specified date which they approved, you would have to go to immigration and get an additional approval. It happened to me and I almost got into big trouble for working past my contract date, but in the end immigration let it slide -presumably because it was an honest misunderstanding of the law. Check the date you are approved to work with immigration.

[some waygug-in]

I am 43. Why do you ask?

I sat down with the boss last night and with the head Korean teacher and we figured out just how much I am owed.

It's 2 and a half months now, and will be 3 and a half if I finish this month.

The boss says his money's all tied up and the bank won't let him pay me.

Sounds pretty weird to me, I think the guy must owe money to the mafia or something?

He promises to pay me all if I stay to the end of April.

I don't know what he's planning, but I doubt that it's anything good. Perhaps he'll
call immigration at that time and claim that I stole some money and then have me deported or something.

He actually expected me to extend my contract. Then he started complaining that I didn't give enough notice. I replied that I have been more than patient with him, anyone else would have left long ago.
He seemed to agree with that.

I told him he should advertise the job as a part-time gig, then he wouldn't have to pay so much, but he replied it's Gimhae. Nobody will ever take it.
So the only way he can get another teacher is by completely lying to them as he did to me and then putting them through all this crap too.

I don't want him to lose his business, but I don't want to see this happen to someone else. I don't know how he'll ever find another teacher to come here after what I've posted.
He would be better off to just offer more TOIEC classes and not have any foreign teacher to worry about.


I don't think I can take much more of this. I may do a run just to regain what's left of my sanity.

If I take the ferry to Fukuoka, can I return the next day on a tourist visa?

That would give me some time to figure out what I am doing next.

I know that I would be losing all monies owed, but at this point I highly doubt that I have much chance of getting anything anyhow.

[Teufelswacht]

SW:

1. Don't run. It will only come back to hurt you. It's only 26 more days. Hang in there. Start your job search.

2. What is the name of the school?

3. I think you can probably forget about being paid the full amount of back pay owed. You can also probably forget about severance. You are going to have to fight to get any money. Your boss isn't going to give you anything unless you get the Labor Ministry involved. I know what you posted before about not having a Korean speaker to go with you, but you need to find one ASAP. You need to get your feces consolidated and get ready for the fight ahead.

Take care.

Teufelswacht

[some waygug-in]

Thank you for your input. I'm sorry if my posts are a bit erratic. My situation is not exactly conducive to rational thinking.

I am not sure I care about the money any more. I just want this to end so I can move on. I already have a job lined up, that is if I can ever get free and clear of this one.

[some waygug-in]

Thank you to everyone for your input. I realize that you are trying to help me. I have no call to be rude just because you don't have the exact answers that I want to hear.

Sorry about that.


I called the number. They told me I have to file a claim here in Gimhae.

I have an adult student who is willing to go with me on Saturday to do this.

Take care.

[Teufelswacht]

Best of luck to you SW.

By the way, you might want to confirm the Labor Office is going to be open on Saturday - the new 5 day work week and all. I know some goverment offices down here on Jeju are open only every other Saturday.

Oh yeah, if the new job you have lined up falls through PM me because I might have a line on a job that is opening up at the end of April beginning of May.

Again, best of luck. Stand firm.

Take care

Teufelswacht

[some waygug-in]

I have another problem.


This has to do with the dates on my visa. Because the dates on my visa and those on my contract are 4 months apart.

I am wondering if I will be in trouble with immigration about this.

It's not my fault. I did everything I was supposed to do right from day one. The boss told me that it was submitted to immigration right away, but it was their screw up that caused the delay. Now I am wondering if this wasn't the boss's plan all along.

Something to use against me at the end of the contract.

Every other job I've had in Korea, the visa process took 1 or 2 weeks to process................... certainly not 4 months!

I am worried that if I file a claim with the labor board, he can use this as an excuse to have me fined, and then deported for my trouble.

Is this a common tactic? Have you heard of this before?

Maybe I should have just done the runner.

[some waygug-in]

So no one has a clue, is that it?

[some waygug-in]

Hey, guess what ? It's me again.

I've recently discovered that I have lost my briefcase which contained all of my valuable documents, including my contract, my degree, my resume and some other personal things which are not so important.

At this point I am not sure if I have misplaced it or if.....

(as his paranoid, delusional state worsens)

Perhaps the boss has sneaked into my apartment and taken it? Anything is possible.

I am really "up sh** creek without a paddle now! I can't get another job in Korea without my degree, and I can't go to the labor board without a copy of my contract.

Ain't you glad you ain't me?

[fidel]

All is not lost SW, you can always go home and think about your future unless you are tied to Korea in some way and prefer not to leave. I look at Korea this way', it's just an ends to a means until I finish my post graduate work. Then come hell or high water I'm out of here which will be this coming winter.

If I was having all the difficulties you were having I would skip town and never look back. What some whiners (not you) don't realise is that Korea's just one small country in a world of countries. If you are not happy , move on. Seize the day and all that rot.