Korean Job Discussion Forums

[TrouserX]

Last week my boss threatened to fire me because I am "making trouble." The "trouble" is that a) I'm asking for official documentation explaining what is being done with my 6% 'tax' deduction, and b) I'm asking to be signed up to the National Pension Plan, something my boss vigorously opposes.

After 4.5 months at my school, I have yet to receive a proper pay slip showing itemized deductions, a tax certificate, or proof that I have been registered in anything my deductions might be going toward. I know I'm entitled to these documents, and the fact my boss won't provide them tells me I'm being ripped off. As for the pension, that is my right and my boss has no grounds to refuse signing me up.

So I badly need advice. How can I��

1) Pre-empt a wrongful dismissal? Can I file complaints with some agency or agencies that will make it harder for them to fire me?

2) Force my boss to provide proper pay slips/documentation of my pay deductions?

3) Force my boss to sign me up to the National Pension Plan?

After I was threatened with termination last week--my boss made it very clear to me that it would be very easy to manufacture grounds to fire me, such as being a couple of minutes late for class one day--I notarized a statement stating that I suspect my boss of defrauding me and have been threatened with termination as a result of requesting information and benefits that I am legally entitled to. Whether this will help in the long run, I don't know. At least I have something in the record showing my concerns prior to being dismissed.

Suffice to say that this whole rigmarole is stress I don't need in my life. Any useful advice or information would be highly appreciated.

Thanks, everyone.

P.S. I have tried to call the Ministry of Labor (both in Seoul and my home province) but couldn��t talk to anyone in English at either number.

[FUBAR]

Its easy. Tell him that the moment you are fired, you are going to the tax office to see if he was paying the gov't your 6% tax deduction.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I doubt most places provide a list of tax deductions. No place I ever worked in Korea did. I got one once by asking, but it was a big deal. I don't know why.

But you are entitled to the Pension Plan.

Keep in mind that if you are fired, you are free to get another job without the hassle of a release letter. The big problem is that you will lose your apt the minute you are fired. That limits your options.

Consider calling the National Pension Office directly. They have branches everywhere. It's doubtful if anyone speaks much English there, so you may need a helper. Explain your situation and ask them what you should do.

[peppermint]

It seems pretty likely that you're paying far too much taxes. It might be a smart thing to contact the tax office and check on that and be prepared to report your school. Tax fraud is a big deal here.

[Zyzyfer]

[Derrek]

Tax is more like 3%. Do you have other workers at the school? If he is taking 3% more from each teacher, he is stealing your money. And it may add up to a lot of there are many foreign teachers.

I'd explain to him calmly that it is within your right to ask, and that you are more than happy to accept his printed pay slip with itemized deductions. If he won't do this, then just wait another 1 1/2 months.

Your boss is up to something. I have no doubt.

Personally, I'd wait until the 6 month mark from the date stamped on your ARC card, and then bring it up again... , tell him you will be happy to have the labor office call and speak with him about it, and he is welcome to explain why your taxes are high.

Until you're there 6 months, you don't have much if any recourse.

As for being late on the pension plan, my employer put me on after 7 months, but i had to also back-pay my portion ... to the tune of like 80,000 per month, if memory serves. You must also have like 5 or more full-time employees, I think, to even get the pension. Your boss doesn't want to do it because he will have to match the 80,000 won per month that is put into it by you. Depending on what country you are from, you may or may not get his portion (or even yours) back anyway. It pays to find out.

Personally, I'd discuss this with the labor board anyway, and file a complaint either now or later... probably later, as I think they will tell you there isn't much you can do until the 6 month mark.

If he fires you before 6 months, he's not responsible for your airfare, I think.


Your boss is probably flipping out, because, if you add it up, it could cost him a TON to have you make waves over this. For example, if he's stealing 3% per month from 3 foreign teachers, that's 180,000 won per month. Also, if he's ignoring your pension (if you qualified for it), that's an additional 80,000 per teacher. For 3 foreign teachers, that's another 240,000 won per month. So with just 3 foreign teachers on staff, he's saving/stealing about 420,000 per month.

Obviously, it gets worse if there are more teachers, and if he's not paying your taxes at all (probable), you can add another 240,000 to that figure for three teachers.

And you're liable for the tax.

[TECO]

Yup, it's happened in Taiwan also.

Lots of dishonest school owners deduct tax from teachers salaries only to not have actually paid the tax they've deducted.

As a footnote to this thread, that must suck living in company housing - even if it is free - because when the sh*t hits the fan, you've got no place to live.

Rule #1: Always live in housing that is not controlled by your employer.

[canuckistan]

[hellofaniceguy]

Rule number one: always get your own housing if possible. Have the place in YOUR name only. Not the schools. If you're fired...you have no place to live. Depending on where you are living...housing can run from 3 million Won to 300 million Won a year. Live in a hotel until you find something better. The school pays for housing....just have them give you the money instead if possible.
Tax rate is 3.5% for FT's being paid around 2.0 per month. 6%? You are being cheated!!! And so is the taxman.

[adventureman]

[mindmetoo]

Your tax witholdings should come to about 3%. If you add in a 35,000 won deduction for the health plan, that brings your mothly witholdings to about 5% of gross on a 2 million won salary. 6% might be a little high. Are you sure it's 6% and not closer to 5%? If you're making less than 2.0 mil then that would probably bring it to 6%ish.

Yeah, his really bad reaction to a rather simple accounting question, screams "uh uh!" This is assuming you're approaching your boss with customary politeness and not trying to cop a "I KNOW YOU'RE RIPPING ME OFF AND I WANT MY DATA NOW MONKEY BOY!"

[some waygug-in]

Be thankful. At least you're getting the 94% of your wages. Some of us should be so lucky.

[Squid]

SW... hanging in there with the same outfit, or is this another "crying in my beer" story?

Don't worry, I got my share of late payers.

OP- requesting a payslip is a normal thing, an employer here providing one another matter entirely. I had difficulty with itemized deductions from my first employer, probably the biggest in Korea, ECC... too much work they said. Finally got it though.

The best advice for you has been said- independently check with your local pension and tax offices. You'll need an interpreter.

The tax is probably being paid to the tax office, but a lot of funny business goes on here regarding pension payments, even when the employer has plenty more than 5 full-timers on the books. He/she can split the staff into different company "sections" to avoid the obligation altogether or list you with immigration as a "consultant"- that way they're not liable for the pension payments. My last full time employer did the latter.

End result is usually they'll charge you and sometimes pocket it.

BTW do you pay 50% health insurance?

If you do stay, and you have to slug it out, be prepared for a 3 month struggle, and keep ANY and ALL papers you do get.

[sadsac]

[peppermint]

It doesn't sound like he has health insurance- if he did, he'd be given a card to bring to the doctor's office. As well, when a person signs up for medical insurance, the pension office is notified. (one of those rare occasions when government offices co-operate)