Korean Job Discussion Forums

ellytots · Joined: 02 Jul 2009

Hey everyone,

Hope someone knows about this and can help me out!

I've been working in the same hagwon for the past 10 months. It's in my contract that I should have National Health Insurance - but my employer did not get it for me. Instead he got private, saying it would be cheaper for both of us - being new to the country and not really sure how it all worked, I agreed, not thinking it was a big deal.

Have just discovered that when I get a new contract in a few months, with a different school, and register for National Health Insurance, I will have to backpay for every month I didn't pay for while at this school.

Is this true? If it is, do you know what rights I have, if any? My employer should technically have paid 50% contribution to the NHI, but next year I will have to backpay the whole thing from my own money. Is it possible that I can somehow force my employer to pay the money? Or is it already too late and the damage is done?

Any advice would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks

Ellie

i · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Seoul

I understood that I was covered by insurance when I got off the plane. Didn't know it for 3 months and had to pay for the previous 3 months. That said, I'm not on a contract with an employer. Don't have experience with a mess as big as yours.

mike123_ca · Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:35 am Post subject:

Call N.H.I.C. They can tell you how long you have to leave the country. Then everything will be reset back to zero.

Young FRANKenstein

lhasa · Joined: 26 Jan 2008

If you get stuck backpaying 50% NHIC then talk to National Pension to get your 4.5% from the school....maybe not good idea if you're from a country that can't claim after leaving though.

ellytots · Joined: 02 Jul 2009

Thanks for your replies.. SO annoying!

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 1:41 am Post subject:

ontheway · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 7:18 am Post subject:

When you get your new conract and start working at your new school, they will (hopefully) register you for National Health Insurance and Pension. Since you have never been registered there before, it is quite likely that they will assume that you are new in Korea, register you as a new worker and there will be no back payments. If you just want to let things go as easy and possible and avoid hassels, just wait to see what happens when your new school registers you.

It is possible that they will notice and go after the back payments. If so, the Health Ins offices and Pension offices share info now, so you will likely have to pay both.

If, however, you have some grudge against your old school, you can report yourself to the Pension and Health Insurance offices. You will have to pay for half of each for your first year and so will your employer. You will lose on the health insurance side, but you will gain more on the pension side. This could also result in a lot of problems and legal paperwork, so you might want to wait until you are safely working at your new job. A couple of months of not working would cost you more than what you have already lost.

Another question that follows is regarding income taxes: How much have you been paying? There is a strong possiblilty that you have not been paying taxes correctly or that your employer has not been paying in the amounts collected from you.

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 7:38 am Post subject:

ontheway · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 7:56 am Post subject:

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 8:05 am Post subject:

ellytots · Joined: 02 Jul 2009

Thanks again. Very helpful.

Would rather not have to register for pension if I can help it... I'm from the UK and so apparently don't get that money back at the end of the year? Although that may just be another lie he told me!

I'm pretty sure he has been doing something dodgy with the taxes too.. I only get taxed 3.33% or something... It means he has only registered me as a part-time employee or something like that? What does that actually mean, in layman's terms??

I'd happily wait until getting my new contract.. with 2 months to go I'd rather not rock the boat and risk not getting my flight and bonus etc. But I'm just worried that once I'm out of his hagwon, it's out of his hands, and I wouldn't be able to get the money from him anymore since he's no longer obligated by contract..

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:48 am Post subject:

ellytots · Joined: 02 Jul 2009

screwed in what way?

i'm still pretty confused about this whole ordeal. what do i need to do now? :S help!

ellytots · Joined: 02 Jul 2009

also, is my employer DEFINITELY still legally obligated to pay the other 50%, even after my contract is finished and I am working with another school? If that's the case, I'll just keep quiet in the hope the next school doesn't find out, because I'll have to pay either way.