Disputing how your pay was calculated

You have the right to say "this calculation looks wrong".

Check these first

1. Whether you received a payslip — it must show itemised calculations. See payslip.
2. The pay terms in your contract — base pay, allowances, payday. See employment-contract.
3. The hours you actually worked — attendance records, rotas, your own notes.
4. Deductions — tax, the four insurances, dormitory charges. See wage-deductions.
5. Overtime, night and holiday hours — whether premiums were applied. See overtime-pay.

Common disputes

• Overtime hours counted lower than actually worked
• Weekly holiday allowance omitted — see weekly-holiday-pay.
• Deductions without consent — dormitory, meals, "fines".
• Below the minimum wage — see minimum-wage.
• Allowances withheld on the grounds of "all-inclusive pay"
• Final settlement wrong after leaving — see severance-pay.

What to do

1. Ask the company in writing (text or email) to explain. Not verbally only.
2. Organise your own records — daily start and finish times, contract terms.
3. Consult 1350 to check whether the calculation is correct.
4. If unresolved, file a complaint with the labour office. See wage-claim-labor-office.
5. Gather your evidence — see unpaid-wages-evidence.

What counts as evidence

• The employment contract
• Payslips
• Bank deposit records
• Attendance records, rotas, a request for CCTV records
• Text and messenger instructions about work
• Colleagues' statements

Where to go

• 1350 Ministry of Employment and Labour (pay calculations, with interpretation)
• 1577-0071 Foreign Workforce Support Centre
• Your local labour office
• 132 Korea Legal Aid Corporation (litigation)
• Local migrant workers' support centres

Questions people ask

They won't give me a payslip. Issuing one is a legal duty. Ask, and report to 1350 if refused.

Can I check the calculation myself? Tell 1350 your hours and pay and they will help verify it. It's free.

I'm afraid of being fired for questioning it. Disadvantage for a legitimate query is improper. Keep records and take advice. See unfair-dismissal.

Can I claim after leaving? Yes, but there are time limits. Consult 1350 as soon as possible.

Take care

Record your own start and finish times every day. When they differ from the company's, your record is decisive — a photo, a note, an app, anything. Get "we'll settle it later" in a text message.

Related

payslip · wage-deductions · overtime-pay · unpaid-wages-evidence · wage-claim-labor-office

Source

Ministry of Employment and Labour www.moel.go.kr / As of 2026-08