Korean Job Discussion Forums

rmo1127 · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Location: Busan

I have a couple concerns I'd like to address before my contract finishes in 3 months. If anyone can offer some (serious) advice, I'd really appreciate it.

1. My wife and I were recently told by our hagwon boss that we will be required to work until June 29th. Our ARC cards have June 25th on them, as this was the day we entered the country. Our boss told us that this is no problem... you have an additional 15 days to leave the country if a plane ticket has been purchased by the end date of your visa. I've never heard this before.... Is this correct?

2. A former co-worker said the pension office hadn't received the last couple payments from our hagwon. I called the National Pension Service, and they looked me up and said my pension payments had also not been made. I asked my boss about it and she said that they were having some financial "delays", but that they have to pay it all when I finish my contract, so there is nothing to worry about. This feels really shifty, and I don't want to be stuck trying to get that money back after I leave the country. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance for any help.

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

The school is behind on paying your pension? Did they withhold your contribution and not pass it along? Sounds shady. I would stay on top of it.

mmstyle · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Location: wherever

This was prior to recent changes, but I can tell you that on a previous contract, I had to get an extension to my ARC (it expired 1 day early, and I waited a couple of days before flying out) and I was explicitly told by Kimmi that I could NOT work during the extension period. It was a tourist type extension, only. Call Kimmi, they will tell you whether or not this has changed. Your employer sounds very fishy.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Sinnerman · Joined: 19 Feb 2011

You can get a free extension with a plane ticket, but that does not entitle you to work beyond the stated date on your ARC. Your hagwon is trying to do things on the sly.

It is simply a matter of them writing up a letter amending your contract for set amount of days. There is a fee that goes along with it, perhaps 10,000-30,000. Take it to Immi, they take care of it within 20 minutes.

Do not work beyond the date stated on your ARC before amending with Immi, no matter what your hagwon says.

rmo1127 · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Location: Busan

Thank you to everyone who replied.

@wylies99: Yes, they always withhold the pension money, but haven't yet paid any in 2011. Should I try to file a complaint with the pension office?

@ttompatz, mmstyle, and sinnerman: Our contract states that we must finish whatever month-long session we're in. Our ARCs expire on 6/25/11 because we arrived on Friday 6/25/10, and the session finishes on 6/29/11. Am I obligated to get the working extension? Do both parties have to agree to this? If I refuse the extension, does the school have the right to deduct those 4 days from our June paychecks? (or worse... say that we didn't complete the year, and refuse to pay the completion bonus.) I suppose these are all questions I need to take to the immigration office.

We'd really love to finish on the 25th. Then we can take a trip for a few days and make it back to the US in time for the 4th of July. We're not trying to cheat the school; we would feel more cooperative were it not for all the unpaid extra projects and general lack of support throughout the year.

Again, thanks for the help.

-rmo

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

The day you enter the country on your E-2 visa with your employer as the sponsor is the first day of your employment period (sojourn), regardless of what your boss may think otherwise.

BigJ · Joined: 21 Dec 2010

Hey rmo1127 I PMed you asking about a couples position I believe you worked at, please respond to me as soon as possible.

Thanks

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

The end of a year's employment is the day before the anniversary date of the beginning of that employment. For example: enter Korea on an E-2 visa on 25 June 2010, ending date of year's employment is 24 June 2011.

Another thing to note is that, regardless of your contract mandating that you stay for a few days longer than a year, the boss is still obligated to pay the severance pay if you depart upon completing one year. He cannot penalize you for not staying there for a few days extra.