Korean Job Discussion Forums

bixlerscott · Joined: 27 Sep 2006 Location: Near Wonju, South Korea

I am wondering what the process for final pay and severance pay is and how it should transpire. I know you usually leave 1 day after contract end or up to 2 weeks thereafter.

It is generally paid on the last day or at some point before?

What if you have a snag?

Should the school pay to your Korean bank account or in cash?

When should you close your account?

Any info on how one should navigate the final pay and airfare issues without offending the director is very welcome. I am thinking a few months ahead of time.
Thanks in advance.

oxfordstu · Joined: 28 Aug 2004 Location: Bangkok

Be sure to tell the director you're leaving, and make him/her give you an exact date, plus the city you're flying into. I told my director 2 months in advance. I didn't get paid on the last day; I got paid the day I was leaving. I brought all of my bills to settle up, and they were calling all the companies (cable, internet, electric, etc.) to get the final numbers. This is where I'm almost sure that I got screwed. I had to pay about 600k in utility bills for the past couple weeks, including a penalty fee for killing the internet before the lease was up.
Anyway, we went to the bank to convert won into dollars so I could get the best rate (airport exchanges will screw you), and walked out of the bank with almost $4,000, which I put in a money belt to wear on the plane. Got to the airport and forgot about the ticket -- called my director and she said that it was waiting for me at the airline counter. Picked it up, handed in my ARC and I kissed the ground when I boarded the plane. I couldn't believe I had actually made it out.

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

I am jacking the tread here a bit but... Has anyone gone a different route than getting an air ticket home? I am thinking about taking the Trans-Siberian and it would be great if the school would foot the bill (or I could get a refundable air ticket, do they still have those?). Oh, I work for a public school.

Niagara · Joined: 24 Jul 2006 Location: Daegu

My girlfriend and I are getting our hogwan to fly us to Moscow instead of Toronto...it's actually cheaper so he has no problem with it at all.