Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Harvard Material]

I am almost 2 months beyond the expiry date of my registration card deadline. I asked the manager to assist me long before the expiry date, but I wasn't given any assistance (or documents), until 2 weeks ago.

The fine for going beyond the 90 day period is 100,000won and I don't want to pay for it. I was going to at first - when I finally did get the documents from the director and spent a Saturday morning on the subway - but was informed when I arrived at Omokyo Immigration office that the owner did not provide me with the 'proper' documents! 'Come back when you have the right stuff.' After that scenario? HA! I have changed my mind about assuming any responsibility for this 100,000won fine.

I wasted my time, and tried to avoid all of this in the first place. I have the documents from my hakwon dated, over a month late. I also have a second document (written, signed and dated by the director), which the director claims that this is entirely my fault, that I did not ever ask for assistance to get my alien registration card, and that the paperwork information they have to provide for my registration card is my responsibility to request. I did request it...repeatedly for about 2 months before the deadline date until 2 weeks ago. It simply went nowhere.

I also specified before I signed my contract that I wanted health insurance - as stated in my contract. The owner accused me, on this second document (answer #2), of actually requesting the opposite; that I in fact requested no health insurance policy/deductions, and that is why I don't have any. It's an outright lie! She has also refused to arrange any health insurance for me after documenting and dating the request.

Income tax? That's also in this second document; question #1. We are paying 2.5%, but she is deducting 5.8% total...in case there are any errors in accounting. And we will get any overpayment at the end of our tenure. The last two foreign teachers never got it back.
I originally thought 108,00 a month was for both tax and health insurance deductions, but I was never given my health insurance card. When I asked for my insurance card I found out I didn't have one. Then I asked about our tax rate, and the owner demanded I submit my questions in document form. No more discussion. Then I asked about pension and was told to get out of her office and put all of this in writing, which I submitted and received her pathetique reply four days later from a co-worker. The owner never answered a single question...

...8 of my questions resulted in 8 of her insults. Question #3 was why did an illegal teacher have to pay 5.8% tax when it can't be submitted to Korean taxation without someone realising that there is an illegal teacher at this hakwon? Answer #3 was "Mind your own business." Too bad she put it in writing. Korean taxation is a lot more interested in it than the owner appears to be.

It is too simple to say "No. He never said that." "No. He never asked us for that." "No. That's not what we said." That can work for a while I guess, but it get's old fast.
Now I get snubbed at work daily from won-jang-nim, still don't have any health insurance, pension deductions, pay the same 5.8% tax deduction AND have to fork out an additional 100,000won for her failure to photocopy a few documents for me in a three month period?

What is the easiest way, if there is an easy way, to get this lovely owner to pay for the fine? I did what I could do to get my card. If it was my fault I wouldn't be posting this question, nor would I object to accepting pesponsibility for the fine. I don't have my registration card because of the owner's refusal to acknowledge my need for this ID card, or any attempt to provide me with the required documents until 2 weeks ago.

Who do I contact to straighten this out? I've tried to discuss these topics peacefully at the table and it didn't achieve anything. I've submitted written documents as requested, to no avail. I teach five days a week. I go to work, teach and go home. I feel I am physically living up to my expectations to/at the institute. The director has refused everything to do with this matter, and every other matter that I feel is unaceptable, so discussing it any further directly with her is little more than a joke.

Korean taxation will solve the tax problems. Who can assist me with the registration card scenario problem?

Could use some advice...

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

I can only tell you what I would do, not what I think you should do.


Harvard Material wrote:

[Harvard Material]

Hey; thanks Whiner! I should clear a couple ambiguous points. The illegal teacher wasn't me. It was a co-worker. Waited almost two full months for her trip to Japan for the E-2 stamp, but taught the whole time. 160,000won in tax for two months with no visa? I'll find out if the owner actually paid it to taxation or not when I meet with a taxation official on Saturday morning.

It does involve me, however, because this person is a good woman and my co-worker. If a boss treats one person poorly, we all get treated poorly.

The manager at the time these events took place has resigned. Doesn't matter to me much though, as these problems are/were occurring all along.

I did originally use a recruiter, but when the hakwon realised I was going to accept the position anyway the recruiter was sent packing - with no recruiting fee! Poor woman. Landed a job for me, and got screwed out of 1 million won. I agreed to give her half of the amount, because I did appreciate her service and she did secure a position for me. I would like to help her get paid the full amount, but it is going to be difficult.
The manager and director claimed that the agency didn't provide any material for the E-2 visa process, and other material that was apparently the recruiter's responsibility. Lame. "Sure. Bring him over for an interview." "Thanks. We aren't using you to hire him. Bye-bye."

At the time I needed the position, and I felt I couldn't do anything to help her out, except give her money myself. The owner and manager refused to pay her because they weren't happy with the service she provided, and claimed the recruiter didn't fulfill her responsibilities to the institute. Well; I feel the hakwon is very guilty of not fulfilling it's responsibilities to me as an employee, my co-worker's, and at this point I am not at all happy with the owner's services.

It is just another example of the conduct at this location. I was already here in Seoul, so there was no airfare cost for the institute to pay for. They didn't pay the recruiting fee for an agency that located the teacher for them. That's over 2 million right there. I don't have a secured flight out of here, and the chances of being released prematurely are very high. They would save the cost of my flight out, plus severance payment, so all in all it could profit the owner over 5 million won. It's a crime.

The recruiter was present when I insisted on the health insurance clause, and I am having difficulty locating her now. She was there during two interviews, and knows I insisted on health insurance. A co-worker at a former institute had a serious physical problem, and he didn't have health insurance. Some of us did, some of us didn't. He didn't, nor did I. It cost him over 7 million won to be released from the hospital and he was released from his position at the hakwon two days after getting out of the hospital. I didn't want that situation happening to me, and I figure it is worth a mere 30,000won a month. Better safe, you know? I explained it in great detail before signing the contract, and was assured I would get the coverage. Low and behold. Now they say I insisted not to have it?

I said I want the health insurance and the answer now is no. She knows her obligations, but ignores them. I explained the alien registration bit and she has refused to pay for the fine, or claim any responsibility for having at least an equal share in the lateness of the situation. I also stated I want my tax overpayment back, as well as the former teachers who overpaid, and it is still being deducted from us at the same rate! She doesn't care, and she doesn't want to resolve anything that will cost her anything.

I've tried to deal with it rationally, but all efforts have failed. Luckilly, I was on the ball enough to get it in writing. I'll post again after I meet with the taxation official...

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

Harvard Material wrote: