Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Meggiebea]

So I work for a school where every teacher gets paid a salary of 2 million won. BUT we get also get 'recognition bonuses' each month.

Our contracts look something like this:

1. The Employer agrees to pay the employee a monthly salary of 2,000,000 won per month.

2. The Employer agrees to pay the employee an amount of 200,000 won per month in recognition of a teacher's certificate.

3. The Employer agrees to pay the employee an amount of 100,000 won per month in recognition of the employees work experience.

4. The Employer agrees to pay the employee an amount of 100,000 won per month in recognition of the recruiter's recommendation.

HOWEVER our severance pay is only based on out salary of 2 million won.

SO my question is. Why am I being taxed on everything? Salary AND recognition bonuses? Why am I paying pension and medical based on everything?

Is this a common practice?

I figure that either the school owes me my FULL salary as a year-end bonus or they own me my money back for taxes, medical insurance and pension that was based on my full pay, not my salary. Does anyone know where I can go to find out the answer to this or have any insight about what i can do about it.

I talked to my principal but he's assured me that this is the way it is done.

[bobbybigfoot]

It's done to pay out a lower severance.

Paying pension on a high amount is advantageous to you. Just make sure your school is matching it. It could be that YOU are subsiding their portion, and that your pension is based on 2.0 million (you are paying 60% and your employer 40%).

Contracts like these are scams. Avoid. There are probably other tricks waiting for you along the way.

[OculisOrbis]

I'm pretty sure your severance (13th month) pay is supposed to be calculated from the average of your last three months earnings so it should include everything such as recognition bonuses and overtime work.

It's just a scam so that your school can save a buck.

[ontheway]

[lifeinkorea]

I would make them add the word "additional":

"The Employer agrees to pay the employee an additional amount......"

This is like saying "19.99 plus tax"

[PRagic]

They're full of it. Severance is calculated on wages paid, not on how the wages are deliniated in fine print, and this includes overtime wages as well. A few universities have been taken to the labour board on this point and lost.

If they're paying you 2.4 a month (or more if you've worked overtime), then severance is 2.4 (or more) for every year you work there. Period. Have them call the labour board if they don't believe you. What a crock. Funny thing is, they probably think that they're the first ones to be bright enough to try and finagle the system. Losers.