Korean Job Discussion Forums

[djplatinum]

Ok, this is my situation. I have been working at the school for 8 months now and since my first pay cheque I noticed that the school doesn't take out pension and health insurance. My contract doesn't mention anything about pension but I know this is a standard thing for all E2 visa holders from Canada. I know this is illegal and I have continuously asked them every month to fix it. I have been given excuses and excuses each month. I explained to my boss that it is a beneficial to me to pay the pension. They think they are saving me money by not taking it from me each month. I explained to them that I get it all back and it is doubled because I get back their contribution to it as well. This is my 2nd year and I did this all last year and got it back, so it is not chump change.

After telling my boss I will go to all of the necessary government agencies to get the school investigated on the matter to get it correctly she said that they filed me as an individual tax payer and for that reason they don't have to pay into the pension and I should have received a letter in the mail for paying pension myself. I laughed at her and told her that is incorrect and I should not be "claimed" as an individual tax payer.

So, I know I am right on this issue as far as I know based on all the stuff I reseached last year when my employer was just taking the money and not paying it to the government. But, I can't find anywhere on the NPS, NHI or the ministry of labor website the information I need to prove it to them.

Has anyone ever dealt with this issue before? Advice and suggestions are welcome. I know I can just call up the places but I would like some hard evidence that I can print out and show to my boss regarding the issue.

On a side note I am Canadian so the pension does matter as I know it doesn't for some people such as those from England.

So far I have.....

National Health Insurance

http://www.nhic.or.kr/eng/

FAQ

Under Eligibility


- Who are subject to the employee insured under the NHI program?
--Employers and employees at workplaces in Korea are covered compulsorily as the employee insured.

-What is required to be covered by the employed insured?
--Foreign workers can apply for NHI enrollment to their employers who are by law responsible for submitting an application form to the National Health Insurance Corporation.

-When is the effective date of coverage for the employee insured?
--The enrollment is effective on the employee's first date at work. For the employees who hadn't been covered by the NHI program, their coverage has been compulsory since the first of January in 2006

- Can foreigners drop out of the NHI program when they are doing job in their workplace?
--No, they can not voluntarily secede from the NHI program as long as they are the employees of workplaces.




Under Contributions

-What percentage of the monthly contribution do the employee and the employer share?
--The monthly contribution is borne by employee and employer as follows:
Classification Total Employee Insured Employer Government
Employee 100% 50% 50% -
Government Employee 100% 50% - 50%
Private school Employee 100% 50% 30% 20%


-Who is in charge of paying the contribution of the employee to the NHIC?
--The employer has responsibility for paying the contribution. The contribution should be deducted from the salary of the employee and the employer should pay it to the NHIC.


AND

NATIONAL PENSION PLAN website

http://www.nps4u.or.kr/jsppage/english/scheme/scheme_04.jsp


Foreigners aged between 18 and 59 working and residing in Korea are subject to the compulsory coverage of the national pension scheme, the same as Korean nationals. If he/she is working in the workplace covered under the scheme, he/she shall mandatorily be a workplace-based insured person and in other cases, an individually insured person.

At the time of the introduction of the Scheme, foreigners were not mandatorily covered. Only foreigners working in a workplace covered under the Scheme could be covered as an Workplace based insured person by submitting an application. From August 1995, foreigners working at a workplace with 5 or more full-time employees were included in the mandatory coverage. People working at a workplace with less than 5 employees, including the self-employed, were also included in the mandatory coverage from April 1999. Accordingly, at present, foreigners aged from 18 to less than 60 who reside and work in Korea must be, in principle, covered under the National Pension Scheme.

Due Dates for Reportingㆍ Foreign Workplace-based Insured Person: By 15th of the month following the month which the relevant facts occur Example) if he/she starts to work in February, he/she must make a report by March 15.

Also, does anyone know what would happen if my school has not been deducting the money from my pay cheque each month. Will they end up having to make back payments or will I? Since it would really piss me off if they all of a suddent say you owe us 800,000 won in back payments for your pension that has not been properly filed. I would hope that it would be the schools responsibility and fault for not paying when I have been telling them to pay it every month.

And one more thing. If you ask for a paystub showing your salary and what is being deducted each month, don't they have to provide you with that? I got pay stubs last year each month at my hagwon but at the one this year they give me nothing. Seems a little strange to me.



So yeah, if anyone has anything like the above for the Korean labor Law for E-2 visa holders that I can show my boss to get it through to them that would be great.

Or any information on the matter.

Cheers

[I-am-me]

You might also consider going to the tax office to see if they have you registered. They are probably pocketing your monthly taxes.....its an old game they play. They file your taxes after you leave and pocket the money.

[djplatinum]

Yeah, Ill probably do that too but I am sure they are paying that at least, but I don't believe 100% of what hagwon owners say regarding the what they have done with anything to do with money.

Anyone else have any info on the matter? I am not trying to get my school in trouble since they have been pretty good to me these past 8 months other than ignoring my sole request of paying the pension and health insurance.

I just don't like when people mess with my money haha