Korean Job Discussion Forums

Noureli · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Location: Nowhere but Here

When you finish your contract, do you get your salary and severance on your last day or a few days before that in order to close bank acounts and transfer money. I just want to know what the norm is. This is my first contract so any info would be great.

polonius · Joined: 05 Jun 2004

Depends on where you work. Some place pay you after you are finished, some the day before. I assume you already know when you are getting yours. But if you don't, just ask the bossman, and make sure that it gives you enough time to transfer your money home.

poet13 · Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:06 am Post subject:

Make sure if you have to stay a couple of extra days, that your ARC covers that period. Immi will not accept the excuse that you had to wait for your money. It's cheap and you can extend it yourself...

wire · Joined: 01 Aug 2006

edited

twg · Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Location: Getting some fresh air...

In Korea, because only Koreans value the won enough to have it on hand.

I have always demanded my hagwons hand me the final pay and severance on my way out the door on my last day. I've made sure they've known about it at least two months ahead of time and I have never been made to wait.

Seriously, if you're boss is the sort to screw you over, you'd have figured it out long before the twelve mark.

But you usually have two weeks grace period after the end of your e2 to chill in Korea. And there's nothing (except not wanting to return) that's keeping anyone from getting a ticket home on a later date, and heading to Japan and returning on a tourist if they're really worried about waiting for their cash.

shevek · Joined: 29 Jul 2003

A good boss will understand the rush of a last day in Korea, getting to the airport sometimes on the day after you finish.
I've never had any problems getting my severance a couple of days before the end of my contract in order to avoid being at best forced to race around to offload a brick of won in your final few hours or at worst screwed over completely.
If possible I'd avoid leaving getting paid such a big sum until you're walking out the door.

shevek · Joined: 29 Jul 2003

Noureli · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Location: Nowhere but Here

Thanks so much, you answered all my questions. Wow! I'm always amazed at how I get help from so many people who I don't even know. Thanks once again.

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

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

Hotpants · Joined: 27 Jan 2006

I once carried 4 million won (my severance and flight money) in those darn 10,000 denominations back home. All I can say is that when you have that amount of money strapped to your body, you'll get chronic indigestion on the plane (not that the plane food doesn't do that to you already). On the other hand, it'll provide padding for the gunshots that could be fired your way when some punks see you loaded with all that cash!

As for the final payments, some schools will insist that they have to 'clear a tax issue' first before they pay you. Just make sure that you AGREE with your boss IN ADVANCE about when you can expect the severance and whatever. Then, if your boss has been good to you until now, you can probably rest assured that you'll see it on that agreed date.