Korean Job Discussion Forums

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

So i thought this school was great...or at least very acceptable.
Turns out: Ding dong, i'm wrong.
Very manipulative.

According to the law, they screwed me out of any real severence because i "left two days early" (technically, it could have been vacation...)

Anyways, fine, I get it. You're cheap. Too bad you were giving me the whole "call me mother" crap but oh well, what can I expect.

NOW I hear they may not have been paying my taxes.

But I have a few questions to these regards:
1) I'm not 100% sure that I have the alien reg. number as for my LAST contract (i didn't leave the country/except for my visa). I am 95% sure it is the same. Does anyone know if the number changes from contract to contract if one changes jobs but DOESN'T leave the country (except for the visa run?)
I worked for this school in 2005 and 2002-2003. Would my alien reg.# be the same for ALL of this time?

2) I was told by a korean friend (who admittedly doesn't know exactly what's going on) that it's possible that my taxes are simply not availible because the school will file their "groups/business" taxes sometime in may.
How would this affect me?

I ALMOST don't believe that my school would be BALLSY enough to do this but, hypothetically, they ARE...
Course of action:
I'm not big into litigation because it's not like i'd get money out of it (with the cost of lawyers here....though i may have a hookup...)

I'm prepared to put them on black lists from here to iquiliut.... i plan on writing scathing letters to their head office outlining their incompetence and dishonesty.
I'm not prepared to do anything dishonest or particularly violent (the personel director is just some very unfortunate man who has to relay information from "MOM" Rolling Eyes

to me)...and screaming will just do no good.

If that school continues to exist past 2007 i'll be shocked as hell.
I'll tell you one thing, I'm gonna make a point of trying to meet ANY foreigner who teaches at that school.

sigh.

Crooks fucking suck hey folks?

peppermint · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:04 pm Post subject:

I've been mucking around with the tax office recently, and here's your deal

Your ARC# should stay the same through several contracts- mine has through 4 employers, and I did take a month between contracts a couple of times.

The deadline for filing taxes is in May, yes but employers are obligated to give you a statmennt of the taxes paid withing 30 days of leaving. Ask them for it.

IF you don't get it- call the friendly guys at the tax office (02)397-1440 and I believe the school will get audited.

Wangja · Joined: 17 May 2004 Location: Seoul, Yongsan

Just a small point on ARC numbers: it is true that once you have one they stay the same, like a UK or US social security number.

But, in 2002, all foreign ARC numbers were changed to make them compatible with citizens' ID card numbers.

semphoon · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Location: Where Nowon is

In my contract it says that "tax will be deducted by the employer."

If he does not pay, who gets in the poo? Him or I?

If it is me that gets in trouble, when does this happen?

semphoon · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Location: Where Nowon is

No answer?

Yogiyo!!!

ontheway · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 8:33 am Post subject:

semphoon,

In the US, if an employer withholds taxes from your pay but does not pay them in (it happens frequently, but it's a small percentage of employers) the employEE has to pay them again. Of course, usually the IRS will go after the employer first, but they could go after both the employer and the employee at the same time. Your tax liability is YOUR tax liablility. The penalties and interest are terrible for the employer in these cases. The IRS will pursue both parties until they get 100% payment plus huge penalties plus interest. Penalties and interest can be far more than the original tax. US tax law is so broad and insane that the IRS can make anyone they choose pay the money. ANYONE. If the owner has skipped town, the IRS has been known to take the money due for every employee from a bookkeeper or secretary from the business. They can take your house, car, clothes (yes, they have done that - even underwear).

In Korea I would guess it's about the same, but not so draconian. In Korea, the NTS is more likely to forget about or not pursue small amounts, especially when it's a small amount due from a foreigner that might already be gone. And, in Korea if the employer didn't pay the money in, it's likely he didn't report your income either. So, your income and tax are both zero as far as NTS goes.