Korean Job Discussion Forums

[syclick]

Ok, I finished my contract on Tuesday. Wonjangnim is refusing to pay my severance bonus + last week's pay until the beginning of next month. He gave me the usual lies about how "that's how we do it here in Korea." I told him wifey and I were broke - that didn't throw him off.

He then went on to say that in Korean businesses, bonuses are due by four months after the finish of the contract. What a load of bull.

I got my air ticket refund almost 5 months late. He's just stalling for time.

[shawner88]

Not surprising in the least.

[kangnamdragon]

[syclick]

My contract specifies that the severance pay is due upon completion of the contract which was two days ago.

[kangnamdragon]

My point was that it is not even the custom for Korean workers without a contract to wait 4 months. He is lying.

[syclick]

He's also lying about the terms of my contract. He stated that per my contract, he doesn't have to pay it until next month. But the contract clearly states:

[bithy75]

This sounds all too familiar for me too. I'm leaving Korea in just over two weeks, and I know they're going to pull the same thing with me. They never paid all my airfare either, but I haven't paid for the cell phone bills that are in my director's name. (I'm sure the bills don't amount to very much, though.) So...I know I'll get screwed out of severance pay. Actually, I'm so sick of dealing with the lying and cheating that I don't even care anymore if they give me the money or not. I'm so excited about leaving this job that that is the only thing that matters to me anymore!! Just get me out of here.....aahhh!!!! Good luck to the rest of you. Korea can be a lot of fun, but the English teaching industry here is a shady business.

[snufalufagus]

Then what you do is sit in the school lobby, in his office, or somewhere in the facility, sit in a chair, on the floor and refuse to leave until you're paid your money - he won't lock you in and will get more than flustered. Likely, you won't get the money from the stunt, but it might work.

People need to start standing up for themselves and get the job done ... the legal system has little support here for foreigners. You need to do it yourself. If you're finished working, you have little to lose by making him lose face.

[syclick]

The director and I had another argument. Even after showing him the contract's EXACT WORDING, he refused. After arguing over the contract's "real meaning", he told me he had nothing more to say to me, and that my wife had threatened to sue if I was not paid immediately. I stormed out, took the materials that I had spent all weekend working on, and left the building.

Wonjangnim wanted me to write up 12 weeks worth of class plans this last weekend. On Thursday, he changed the terms of his request, which meant I had to start completely from scratch, starting Friday. I worked on that stuff all weekend, at my own home.

If he's going to wait until next month to pay me, he can have them then.

[ghostshadow]

So what school is this that just ripped you off?

[Grotto]

just tell him you will report him to 'labor board' and 'immigration'

okay 3 words.

It cant hurt and can only help

[Son Deureo!]

And while you're at it, "Tax Office".

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

I swear if I ever go back to Korea, I will arm my vocabulary with a lot a nice choice words for my wonjang if he ever pulls that crap with me.

Did you ask him the reason why he is breaking the law?

Ask him upfront: Why are you breaking the law?

[syclick]

He INSISTS that the contract doesn't say he has to pay me when the contract ends - that he can take his sweet time and wait until next month. I pointed out the wording of the contract several times to him. He fails to see reason.

Wifey is now on the phone to the labor board.

[Basil Brush]

How's it going Syclick? Did the labor board in Bangbae ask you to wait 14 days before submitting a written complant?