Korean Job Discussion Forums

mountianchica · Joined: 13 Aug 2006

Can I do anything about my employers who never paid into my pension? for my last contract? Is there any possible way they can pay now? even though I'm already in a new contract? I didn't know how the pension worked my first year. In fact I didn't become aware of it until after my contract. This is partly my fault (I should have been more in the know) and my employers fault too. I'm just wondering if there's anyway to remedy this situation or if it's just a lost cause.

Thanks...

I_Am_Wrong · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: whatever

Well, I've been thinking about doing it because I've been told it's possible. Did you keep all of your paysheets from your previous employer? Go to your local pension office with a Korean friend, your pay sheets, and the name and number of your previous employer. You will have to backpay your half but so will your employer.

cheers.

kermo · Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:00 pm Post subject:

lastat06513 · Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:12 pm Post subject:

You will need your pay subs from your previous employer.
If you don't get them, take the one or two you do have and take them to the pension office and tell them that your employer reportedly took money out of your payckeck for the pension but never put it into the pension fund.

This is mandatory for all employees in Korea, regardless if you are a korean or a foreigner, the employer has to pay into it because the money is not just for when you leave Korea.

Let's say you are injured or sick and you can't work. The pension fund is suppose to be like an unemployment fund to tide you over until you start work again. Or better yet, to help pay for your medical bills.

Now, if your employer didn't pay into it, the people at the pension office will contact your employer and probably do an audit of the fund (and from what I have seen before- other agencies might audit them for other financial irregularities).

If your employer is a nice and kind guy if they call (or becomes scared out of his/her mind of being arrested), they will pay automatically. If not, you might have to keep tabs on them to make sure they don't run to Canada or the U.S.(refer to the posts regarding "Hamilton Schools") before paying what is due to you and every other teacher getting screwed.

mountianchica · Joined: 13 Aug 2006

Thanks for the useful information. One more question: Has anyone actually attempted to collect pension from a previous job when the employer didn't pay into it? As in, does anyone actually have experience in a situation like this and what was the outcome?

4 months left · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

This may be a stupid question but don't you get back what you paid in? Do you also get back what your employer paid?

kermo · Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:49 pm Post subject:

I_Am_Wrong · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: whatever

If your country has an agreement with the Korean government (like Canada) then you can apply to get the money back or have it transferred to your Canadian pension plan.

stumptown · Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:01 pm Post subject:

You can call the pension office at any time during normal working hours and give them your ARC number and find out if your employer is paying it or not. It takes 2 minutes and this is the number for the English speaking office in Seoul: 02-2240-1266

anae · Joined: 13 May 2003 Location: cowtown

My second employer took pension deductions but never paid into the system. I found out about it when we were planning to move to Canada and I went to collect. The pension office knew nothing about me even though I had been in the country five years. My husband phoned the hagwon and told them if they didn't pay back what they had deducted, he would report them. It took them quite a few weeks, but eventually they coughed it up.

kermo · Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:48 pm Post subject:

djsmnc · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Dave's ESL Cafe

nene · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Location: Samcheok, Gangwon-do

Thanks for that number stumptown - very useful.

What fun it is to talk with a Korean beuracracy. Here's what I gathered from my phone call. I need to go to the pension office with all sorts of documents (including my exit ticket from Korea, which kills my plans for an unscheduled ferry voyage to China) near the end of my contract, and they will remit to my Korean account all but the last month's contribution. Then when they receive that last month, they'll remit it to my US account.

I was told that I can't complete the process without an exit ticket, and that I can't complete the process from the US. It would be helpful if either of those are wrong... anyone? Thanks.

lastat06513 · Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:20 pm Post subject:

I collected my pension without an exit ticket to the U.S.
I booked a ticket to China and said I was taking a job there and they deposited my pension money into my Korean bacnk account that was supposed to be sent to me by a friend.
I changed my mind about going and I changed my ticket to the philippines at the last minute, but I still got my pension.

mountianchica · Joined: 13 Aug 2006

So.... I phoned pension office and they said that there's nothing they can do now that I've finished my contract and my employers never paid into it... but I thought there was something? Can't they make them pay now and I'd happily pay my share. Help? Is this true or not? Does anyone really know?

Thanks