Have had a lot of petty problems with my boss all year. Everything from lack of training to not following through on promise after promise… But this time I am concerned because I think something dodgey is going on.
I am leaving Taiwan next Tuesday, and have been asking my boss for a tax receipt for 2007 since the first of January. She has known since late last year that I have no desire to extend my contract after it finishes on the 1st of March this year.
Whenever I asked, I kept getting excuses… ‘Oh, I will call the accountant today…’ etc etc…
The excuse changed recently when I got more persistent. Now she is saying they can’t process my tax forms until my last day at the school! This has to be wrong. I finish this Friday and leave Taiwan next Tuesday…
I read online that I have to process the tax forms one week before departure - which will be today (Tuesday 26 Feb).
I’m sure that they are lying to the government. When I saw the paperwork for my health insurance - the document said that I was only earning 32,000 NT a month. In fact I get paid 50,000 NT a month and have been paying 3,000 NT a month in tax for the last year.
So tomorrow I have my regular Tuesday morning meeting with my boss. What should I say? Should I demand that she go with me to the tax office to submit the forms then? If she refuses, I will go by myself and tell them what is going on.
This is such a pain in the ass, and is just the last nail in the coffin regarding my experience with this school. As soon as I get my last pay, I will post everywhere I can about how bad this place is.
If anyone is curious - the school name rhymes with ‘Gwen Sow’ and it’s in Dong Shih in Taichung county
Well, you already know my opinion. If she doesn’t give you a receipt today, go down to the tax office and tell them, AND contact the FAP. You should also file a complaint with MOFA.
That done, post in detail on every forum you can find.
Also contact the CLA, council of labor affairs.
You did your part in holding up the bargin, now hold these bastards to it.
Sue if you have too.
They do this kinda shit because most people here won’t challenge them.
Stand your ground and they will cave.
Also, it might not hurt to say you will contact your countries trade rep(embassy).
After all you went through, it really pisses me off to hear this, but doesn’t surprise me in the least.
So - tomorrow I will demand that they go to the tax office and lodge my income statement. If they don’t - I go to report what is happening myself, plus call MOFA, CLA and FAP?
What a hassle.
Although, they are telling the government that I am earning 30 something thousand NT a month, so that means I should only be paying about 11,000 NT tax. NOT the 36,000 NT which they have kept from my salary.
I have to admit, getting conned out of money sure pisses me off. I can handle the empty promises and total lack of support etc but this? Grrr…
Is there somewhere to download the forms that they need to take to the tax office? Maybe if I show up to work with the forms, they will be more likely to fill them out for me.
Pubba, I expect like me you are giving them one final chance to do something right, one final effort to vindicate your decision to be loyal to them this past year. Mate, ask for whats yours and then if you don’t get it give them hell. They fucked you over, now this is your chance to ram one up their arses. If you don’t, you are just giving them an excuse to do the same to the next person who takes that job.
Sorry it went arse up mate. Kisses for you!
TomHo.
I’m not sure if I’d want them to accompany me to the tax office. Unless your Chinese is very good, making your boss go with you allows your boss to get the first word in with the tax people and you’ll never know how much bullshit they are spinning.
Consider going to the tax office, MOFA etc alone and tell them that you’ve just learned about the under reporting of tax etc. One phone call from them to your school will probably be enough to straighten things out.
Ok - that’s a good idea cfimages. I will go to the tax office alone, and then when they call my school maybe my boss will finally realise that I am serious when I say that I will report them!
I’m just worried that if I do this, they will try and screw me when it comes to my last pay day Maybe I shouldn’t have planned to leave so quickly after finishing work?
Update: Just got back from my meeting. Will be going to the tax office this afternoon to process all the papers. My boss will get the refund cheque sent to her, but will give me the money up front. So - success? Time will tell
they will post you the money as soon as they know you’re dead. don’t bank on ever getting it, especially once you leave the country. this under-reporting malarkey is rife here, and only really hurts you and benefits them in the long run. don’t feel bad about screwing them royally, feel GREAT.
If they are going to pay you upfront, make sure they pay you BEFORE YOU LEAVE so that they can just keep the check for themselves when it arrives. They will never, ever, ever, ever send you that money once you leave. If you think they will, you are WAY too trusting of the Taiwanese when it comes to money matters!!!
Yeah I am a bit worried tonight… When I thanked the boss, she said ‘Yeah! We saved you 10,000 NT by changing your income estimate down’.
So - yeah they did rort the system. Is this what normally goes on here?
All I know is that on the form for 2007, I had to pay about 7,500 NT in tax. In fact I paid 30,000 (10 months at 3,000 NT per month). So by reckoning, that means I should get back 22,500 NT right?
have the same problem … my company doesnt want to give me a statement, and when i went to the local tax bureau in taoyuan they just said that i have to get it from my company… what do i do now ?? who do i contact… since my company doesnt want to give me a statement of all the tax i paid for 2007…
How were you getting paid - direct deposit or an envelope of cash? If direct deposit, simply take your bank book to the tax office and tell them that you have asked for the statement and they refuse to give you one. Ask kindly for their assistance. If paid in cash with receipts, take the receipts. If no receipt, try to explain the situation. I know in Taipei and in Banciao, the English speaking assistants are very helpful and will bring the offender into line. Of course, you will probably need to start looking for a new job.
It seems this old scam is still going strong. NEVER take their money in cash without a monthly statement of earnings unless they are not deducting taxes and insurance. They will not be saving you money regardless of what they tell you and you will need to show proof of taxes paid in 2007 before you can renew your ARC.
Good luck. Let us know how this comes out. I’m sure it is also happening to others also.
Maybe I shouldn’t have planned to leave so quickly after finishing work?