You Work 10 Hours a Day but Get Paid for 8: How to Calculate and Claim the Missing 2 Hours

When This Applies to You

• You start at 8 a.m. and finish at 7 p.m., but your payslip shows no overtime hours.
• Your boss says, "Your monthly pay already includes all overtime."
• The overtime hours on your payslip are fewer than the hours you really worked.
• You are told to prepare before work or clean after work, but this time is not counted.

How to Calculate

The example below uses the 2026 minimum hourly wage of 10,320원. If your ordinary hourly wage (your regular pay per hour) is higher, use your own rate. This example is for 10 hours a day and 22 days a month.

Workplace	Missing hours	Amount for 1 hour	Amount for 1 month
5 or more workers	2 hours × 22 days = 44 hours	15,480원	681,120원
Fewer than 5 workers	2 hours × 22 days = 44 hours	10,320원	454,080원

If the company has already paid part of your overtime pay, subtract that amount.

Steps

1. Check your payslip. Find the lines for overtime hours and overtime pay. If you do not have a payslip, ask for it. The company must give you a payslip every time it pays your wages. See how to read your payslip line by line.
2. Record your hours. Every day, write down when you started, how long you rested and when you finished. If there is a time clock screen or a work schedule, take a photo of it.
3. Calculate the difference. Take the overtime hours you worked and subtract the overtime hours on your payslip.
4. Ask for the money by text message. "For month ○, ○○ of my ○○ overtime hours are not on my payslip. Please pay me for them."
5. If they do not pay, file a complaint (진정). File it on the Labor Portal (노동포털, labor.moel.go.kr) or at the local office of 고용노동부 (Ministry of Employment and Labor) that covers your workplace. See how to report unpaid wages.

What to Prepare

• 근로계약서 (employment contract) and payslips
• Your notes on work hours, photos and work schedules
• Bank records showing the money you received
• Text messages with your boss or manager

Important Points

• First check if your workplace has 5 or more workers. You do not count only yourself. Part-time workers and foreign workers are also counted. See our company has fewer than 5 workers.
• As a rule, overtime is limited to 12 hours a week. 10 hours a day for 6 days a week is 60 hours. If you keep working like this, you can get advice by calling 1350.
• Even if your contract says overtime pay is included, it can be a problem if this is less than the money calculated from the hours you really worked. Take your contract and ask at 1350.
• If you worked after 10 p.m., you also get extra pay for night work. See how to calculate overtime, night and holiday pay.
• You can claim unpaid money for up to 3 years. You can also report it after you move to another company.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I get paid if I agreed to do the overtime? A. Yes. Even if you agreed to the work, you get paid for the hours you worked.

Q. I have no records. What should I do? A. Start writing them down today. For past periods, you can prove your hours with statements from coworkers, text messages, work photos and time records. See how to create evidence without a payslip.

Q. If the company does not pay me, can I change companies? A. Unpaid wages can count as a reason that is the employer's fault. In this case, the change is not counted in your number of workplace changes. 고용센터 (Employment Center) makes this decision. See workplace change.

Where to Get Help

• 고용노동부 customer helpline 1350
• 외국인력상담센터 (Foreign Workforce Counseling Center) 1577-0071 (Nepali available, 365 days a year, 09:00~18:00)