"I signed the contract."
Signing matters, but it does not automatically make every clause the final answer. It may still be worth asking how the term worked in practice.
Facts first. Labels second.
A contract, job title, or something your employer said can be important evidence — but it may not be the final answer. Use these notes to find factual questions worth checking.
Common misunderstandings
These are general explanations, not conclusions about your case.
"The academy called it vacation."
Check who chose the days off, whether the academy closed, whether you were available to work, whether wages were paid, and whether leave was deducted.
"My contract says I had break time."
A break on paper may not be a freely usable break if you had to supervise students, prepare classes, answer calls, clean, or remain on standby.
"I came early voluntarily."
Check whether early arrival was expected, required, monitored, or connected to preparation, meetings, cleaning, or student supervision.
"I am paid a monthly salary."
A monthly salary does not by itself answer every question about overtime, night work, holiday work, or fixed overtime arrangements.
"I am a freelancer."
The label may not match the working relationship. Check schedule control, supervision, place of work, ability to refuse work, payment pattern, and integration into the business.
"I resigned, so I cannot ask about anything."
Final salary, severance, unused annual leave, deductions, or unpaid working time may still be worth checking after a resignation.
"My boss said it was legal."
Treat that statement as one fact, not a final legal conclusion. Gather the contract, messages, records, amounts, and dates for review.
Frequently asked questions
Can I file a Labor Office complaint by fax?
Fax can be accepted by many offices, but it is not the only filing channel and practice can change. Find the correct office, check the listed document scope, save the transmission report, and call to confirm receipt.
Do I need to visit the Labor Office?
Not always. Online, visit, and fax channels may be available. An inspector may later request a phone call, documents, or attendance depending on the matter.
Can my matter continue after I leave Korea?
Sometimes, but departure does not pause filing deadlines. Written submissions, electronic communication, remote participation, or an appointed lawyer or certified labor consultant may be available depending on the procedure. A power of attorney, identity documents, electronic-service arrangements, or personal availability may still be required, and the authority may request attendance. Confirm the process early with the Labor Office, Labor Relations Commission, or your licensed representative. Labor Relations Commission procedure information.
Can this website write my complaint for me?
No. The scanner helps you organize your own facts and generate your own draft using an external AI tool. You must review, edit, approve, sign, and submit the final document.
Can LaborMap represent me?
No. LaborMap may provide translation, interpretation, fax transmission, receipt-confirmation calls, and related clerical support. It does not act as your representative or make legal arguments for you.
Can I use ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini?
Yes, the current scanner is designed as a copy-and-paste prompt for an external AI tool. Review that provider's privacy terms and remove passport, ARC, bank account, full address, and third-party information before use.
What if my case is complicated or urgent?
Dismissal deadlines, worker-status disputes, industrial accidents, harassment or violence, immigration pressure, large disputed amounts, settlement documents, or criminal complaint issues may benefit from prompt consultation with an appropriately licensed professional.
What documents should I prepare?
Useful records may include contracts, payslips, bank deposits, schedules, attendance records, messages, leave calendars, termination documents, deduction records, medical records, and a dated timeline. You do not need every item to begin organizing your facts.
How do I confirm a fax was received?
Call the office's confirmation number. Record the date and time, department, staff name if provided, page count, readability, instructions, and any assigned case number.
Does a "Possible Issue Map" mean I have a valid claim?
No. It is a structured list of facts and questions marked "Possibly relevant," "Needs more facts," or "Not enough information." The Labor Office or a licensed professional may assess the matter differently.
Are unpaid wage deadlines always three years?
No single statement covers every matter. Unpaid wages and severance often have a three-year limitation period, but dismissal, industrial accident, harassment, and other procedures may have different or shorter deadlines. Check early.
Is the certified labor consultant option a recommendation?
It is presented as an independent professional consultation option, not a guarantee or automatic recommendation. You decide whom to contact and directly enter any professional engagement.
How does a professional introduction work?
You first request an introduction. Before any information is shared, you should receive a separate notice naming the recipient, purpose, exact information, and retention period, and then choose whether to consent. Only approved minimum information should be shared. The professional contacts you and provides a separate quote and agreement. A group chat should be created only after every participant expressly agrees.
I'm on a fixed-term contract and was dismissed. When must I file?
Two deadlines can apply at once. An unfair-dismissal remedy is generally filed with the Labor Relations Commission within three months of the dismissal — but if you are on a fixed-term contract, it usually also needs to be filed before your contract term ends. Once the term expires, reinstatement may no longer be possible and the remedy can be limited or rejected, so do not wait until the end of the three-month window if your contract would end sooner. A separate Labor Office wage complaint for unpaid wages or severance follows different rules. Confirm the exact deadline and route promptly with the Labor Relations Commission or an appropriately licensed professional. If your contract term has already ended, the Commission may treat reinstatement as no longer available and may decline the case for lack of remedy interest; you may still be able to pursue back pay or a separate civil claim through the courts, so confirm your remaining options promptly rather than assume nothing can be done.
Does workplace harassment have to be repeated before I can raise it?
The workplace anti-harassment provisions of the Labor Standards Act do not require repetition — a single serious incident can be reviewed. What generally matters is whether rank or relationship was used, whether the conduct went beyond the appropriate scope of work, and whether it caused distress or worsened the working environment. Keep dated records of what happened and how it affected you, and confirm the specifics with the Labor Office or an appropriately licensed professional.
My workplace has fewer than 5 employees. Do the harassment rules still apply?
The anti-harassment provisions of the Labor Standards Act generally apply to workplaces with 5 or more employees, so a smaller workplace may need different routes — for example, criminal procedures for assault or insult, a civil claim, or industrial-accident coverage for a stress-related illness. How employees are counted and which route fits depend on the facts, so confirm with the Labor Office or an appropriately licensed professional.
I already left the job. Can I still report harassment, and does it affect unemployment benefits?
Leaving the job does not automatically end the issue — reports can still be made after resignation, though passing time can make evidence harder to gather, so act promptly. Resigning because of workplace harassment can in some cases still allow unemployment-benefit eligibility even though the resignation was voluntary, and a stress-related illness can raise industrial-accident questions. Both depend on separate recognition procedures, so confirm your situation with the Employment Center, COMWEL, or the Labor Office.
After I reported harassment, my employer cut my hours. What can I do?
Disadvantageous treatment because of a harassment report is restricted by law and can carry serious penalties for an employer, and it is often treated as a separate, serious issue from the original case. Keep the timeline together: when you reported, what changed afterwards, and the messages around it. Raise it promptly with the Labor Office or an appropriately licensed professional.
Privacy and external AI tools
The public website is designed to store as little personal information as possible. The intake-summary form runs only in your browser and does not submit data. Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.
Do not paste
- Passport or ARC number
- Bank account number
- Full home address
- Unnecessary medical identifiers
- Another person's private details
Use safer placeholders
- "Teacher A" instead of a full name
- "[ARC number redacted]"
- "[bank account redacted]"
- "Message from employer"
- City or district instead of a full address
Disclaimer
LaborMap Korea is not a law firm, certified labor consultant office, administrative scrivener office, or legal service provider.
The information and prompts are for general informational and self-help purposes. They help workers organize their own facts and identify possible issues to ask the Korean Labor Office to review. They do not provide legal advice, determine entitlement, predict outcomes, or replace advice from an appropriately licensed professional.
The website operator does not draft complaints on behalf of workers and does not represent workers before the Labor Office, courts, or labor commissions. Workers are responsible for reviewing, editing, approving, signing, and submitting their own complaints.
Any paid support is limited to translation, interpretation, fax transmission, receipt-confirmation calls, and related clerical support. Fees are based on work performed, not on the amount claimed or recovered. No outcome is guaranteed.
Labor deadlines and office procedures can change and may differ by issue. Check applicable deadlines and current official procedures early. Directory data should be confirmed with the relevant office before relying on it.
한국어 요약: 본 사이트는 법률자문, 노무자문, 사건대리 또는 진정서 작성대행을 제공하지 않습니다. 사용자는 본인의 사실관계를 직접 검토하고, 최종 문서를 수정·승인·서명·제출할 책임이 있습니다. 유료 지원은 번역·통역·팩스 및 관련 사무보조에 한정됩니다.