Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ds_fan]

Hi,
Slogging my ass of in a kindy hagwon. Enjoying being in jorea, though there isnt much to like about the job, i work my ass off. I do it for the money, obviously.

Been here for 2 months now, my 2nd pay was due on the 7th, Saturday. Its now the 10th, and I still havnt been paid.

My director seems to be off work today, so there is nothing I can do about it.

Im pissed off, as i work hard, and the contract serves to only benefit my employer, the only thing that really benefits me is my pay.

My last pay arrived directly after they set up a bank account, but no pay slip or receipt. I want one of these so I can see if they are fooling me out of extra tax and paying my pension correctly. Is there a law that exists about having to give a receipt?

What is the best way to go about this? Should I be cool and sit tight, should I have a quiet word 1st and judge the situation (when my director returns) or should I put my foot down and show them that i wont stand for late pay- I was thinking of telling them I wont do the 2 parents classes this week until I get my pay- Wise?

Thanks

[big_fella1]

I had a boss paying late, she had no money. The 2nd time it happened I sat her down and explained if she paid me late again without prior notice I was out of there. The next month on time but the following month I did a no show at work when she didn't pay. She paid me eventually but I didn't return.

N.B. I had an E7 with permission to do activities not covered by the status of sojourn - E2 she was not the guarantor of my visa. In your case, I would get the money and bolt. Most Korean employers try to pay the first 3 months on time, if she can't do that she is in trouble.

Some may disagree and talk about kids, or Korean culture etc. but she is running a business employing foreigners. Businesses must pay their staff on time in full or at least explain to the staff in advance that they will get paid late. I know Korean employees tolerate late pay, but they have friends and family to rely on, we don't. The fact that they pay you late without the decency telling you in advance is unacceptable.

[Zaria32]

My Korean friends tell me that being paid late doesn't have anything to do with Korean culture, only with the hogwon industry.

My boss didn't pay be on time last year...I asked why not paid? She muttered about parents being late with payments, but she did pay me two days later. I told her, the next day, that if it happened again I would not work until I was paid.

Two months later it happened again. I walked into school and said "We have a deal...I teach, you pay. If you don't pay, I can't possibly teach. call me when I've been paid in full. It took them 5 hours to get the money together, and then they called me, and I went back to school and taught my last two classes. It never happened again.

There IS a risk to this though...when you don't teach, you are breaking the contract, even if they broke it first by not paying.

[mountainous]

[ds_fan]

[mountainous]

You are right ds_fan, I am perhaps being overly optimistic. I advise all new teachers to demand payment UP FRONT from your Korean employer--it's the only way to go. They simply can NOT be trusted to pay that salary; they're scammers.

I posted your questions below to see if someone can chime in:

[salutkitty]

DS, There is no way really for them to screw you out of a months pay that way. If you are there for 12 months, that is 12 pay checks your due and your bonus. Initially I was worried about my pay being a few days late but then when you think you will get 12 pay checks it's ok!! Don't worry, good things come to those who wait

[mountainous]

[big_fella1]

With respect to the late pay not being Korean culture I would beg to differ. This is not saying Korea bad - foreign country good but to do with differences between what we think is fair and what they think is fair.

A Korean employee will expect that in times of business downturns they will be paid less and late. They feel a loyalty toward the company that is truly admirable. Korean employees also expect during times of business upturn they will share in the profitability of the company through large bonuses (I have heard of bonuses of up to 50% of annual salary being paid).

Western employees in small businesses expect smaller bonuses. Further we expect that management will 'manage' their way around business downturns.

The problem of late pay comes primarily due to this difference. Koreans will accept that if a company is doing it tough they will be paid late.

Whilst we have chosen to work in Korean owned companies we come from a culture where pay is paid in full on time or we are told beforehand why it won't happen.

The solution I put to 1 boss who had a record of paying late was that I should be paid weekly. Oddly enough she said that another employee had already asked for that!

[lowpo]