Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bettypie]

Let's say hypothetically that on payday, you meander over to the ATM to check your account and find that not only have you received your entire gross salary (without any taxes, insurance, or pension taken out), but you've also been paid a mysterious extra 200k won on top of the gross. You were also supposed to have 300k won deducted for the deposit on your apartment, but instead you have a surplus of money. You even double check at the ATM to make sure your eyes aren't playing tricks on you.

So, hypothetically speaking, you find the payroll person at your school and ask to see a paystub. She shows you one, and it says that everything- taxes, insurance, deposit, the whole shabang- have come out. The total on the paystub is not the total you saw at the ATM. the pay stub is short by about 700k won. This isn't the first time the payroll woman has made a mistake- last month, she underpaid you by 500k won and you had to fight to get the money you were owed. This time, however, the mistake seems to have favored you. Still, you can't help wondering if you should say something more.

What, hypothetically, would you do?


*added twist: Your boyfriend, who teaches at the same school, was underpaid by about 400k won. It's not simply a matter of you having his missing money, though= because collectively, the two of you were still overpaid by 300k won.

Bonus points to whoever can tell me what is wrong with the payroll woman, anyway?

[kprrok]

for 700 won, I wouldn't do anything. Hell, I probably wouldn't even notice a 700 won mistake.

As to the other side, be assured that if they paid you too much this time, they will almost definitely take out too much next time to even it out. So you got an extra 700 won today, expect to get 700 won too little next month.

But again, who cares about such a piddly sum?

[bettypie]

My apologies. The overpayment was 700K, not just 700. I will edit the original post to reflect that. It kinda makes a difference, no?

[balzor]

Hypothectically, it's YOU. If you are an honest person, you will tell someone. If not, You won't. Be warned, If they find the mistake, they will take it back

[nukeday]

I've been overpaid a few hundred thou won before. I am 90% sure it was a mistake. But screwing up payday is kind of an embarrassing thing for a lot of Korean businesses, so they just said "that's the amount you were supposed to get" and left it at that. I, of course, didn't push the matter any longer.
Let them know. It's weird they would screw up both of your paychecks.

[bettypie]

[balzor]

[thegadfly]

If you point out an error against you, then you need to point one out for you -- if you ate the 500k ding the previous pay period, then you keep the 700k windfall this pay period...if you raised a ruckus and got your cash back, then you point out this mistake as well...and you watch your paycheck like a hawk in the future.

I have never had more than a 500k mistake in either direction before, and I have always pointed out the error -- including the very first time it happened, when it was in my favor...then again, I like to think of myself as an honest, trustworthy person.

If you are posting here, you really want to be given permission to keep it, and if you need the permission of strangers, then you must know it is wrong...but don't worry, I am sure someone will supply the rationalization you desire, so that you can pretend the wrong thing is the right thing.

[ontheway]

Be honest, be friendly, go in with all the paperwork and someone who speaks Korean. The payroll woman will appreciate your honesty. Eventually someone will notice anyway, as 700,000 won is a lot of money, and you will be caught. It's only a matter of time.

But, if you go in first, the payroll woman will be gratefull if you help her out quietly. She will become your quiet ally. Everyone will appreciate your honesty and accuracy.

OTOH, you could keep quiet and attempt to steal this money.

Keeping money transferred into your account by mistake is a crime. It is considered theft and you can be prosecuted and serve time if you try to convert this accidental transfer into your own money.

For a piddling amount, like 700 won, no one would expect you to notice. But this number, 700,000 won, is big enough for you to notice and so not reporting the error is a criminal act. Since you noticed a smaller error and reported it in the past, pretending not to notice will not be believed, so you will have no defense to the charge of theft by conversion.


Why do you even need to ask about this?

Hopefully you're just reporting this blizzard of errors for the humor and not because you actually have considered becoming a deliberate, opportunistic, professional criminal.

[Seoulio]

I can barely beleive that this is even being asked.

OP are you perfect? Have you never made a mistake?

As someone said if its a mistake against you you are there in 2 seconds to get your money, you give it back if they overpay you in error.

Otherwise you are just a lame, low pathetic person with low values and no morals

[moosehead]

you might have a bigger issue here that so far you haven't even noticed - just because the record shows pension etc were paid, doesn't mean they actually were - since your payroll person seems to be a bit of an incompetent.

you don't want to wind up late in the game i.e., end of contract, to find out nothing was paid on your pension - and do you have an insurance card? do you know they are paying it?

if you are at a ps, you can ask your co-t to find out what's going on, if at a hakwon, go to your director and explain your confusion.

forget all the moral or immoral arguments here - this is your pay, this is business. just make sure it's correct ok?

[danxtptrnrth]

I didn't ask any of you uppity, self-righteous, holier-than-thou angels for permission to do anything. I asked for neither your judgement nor your advice... but I bet you nearly creamed yourselves, you had so much fun handing it down as if it were the wrath of God himself.

The post was written as a hypothetical, in a mildly sardonic tone, precisely because I wanted to hear how others would handle it. I already knew what I was going to do- had already done it. Excuse me for having a bit of fun.

And, by the way, the pay error has been corrected. Now I can sleep at night and you can all stop praying for my immortal soul.

[moosehead]

bettypie aka

[balzor]

[isisaredead]