When Your Boss Does Not Give You a Payslip: How to Build Evidence of Unpaid Wages Without One

Not giving you a payslip is itself against the law. Collect evidence from your bank account, contract, work photos, and messages.

✓ Last verified 2026-10-18📎 Sources 9

Quick summary

Every time the company pays you, it must give you a 임금명세서 (wage statement / payslip) (Labor Standards Act Article 48(2)). This has been required since November 19, 2021. The rule is the same for workplaces with fewer than 5 workers.
It does not have to be on paper. An electronic document, such as a text message, KakaoTalk message, or email, is also accepted.
If the company does not give you a payslip, it can get a fine of up to 5,000,000 원. Under the Enforcement Decree, the fine is 300,000 원 the first time, 500,000 원 the second time, and 1,000,000 원 from the third time.
Even without a payslip, you can still file a complaint about unpaid wages. Your bank deposit history, 근로계약서 (employment contract), photos of your work hours, and messages can be evidence.
The company must keep employment contracts and the 임금대장 (wage ledger, the company's record of wages paid) for 3 years. A 근로감독관 (labor inspector) can check the company's records.

When does this apply to you?

Your salary only goes into your bank account, and you have never received a payslip
The company says "the payslip is only in the office" and does not show it to you
The amount is different every month, but no one explains why
For several months, only part of your salary has come in, or nothing at all

A payslip must show the total wage, the amount for each item, and each deduction and its amount. For overtime, night work, and holiday work, it must also show the number of hours (Enforcement Decree Article 27-2). To learn how to read each item, see Reading your payslip line by line.

4 ways to build evidence without a payslip

Bank deposit history: Take screenshots of recent deposits in your bank app, or get a 거래내역서 (transaction history statement) from the bank. It must show the deposit date, the amount, and the sender (the company name). Mark the last date you were paid normally.
Employment contract (근로계약서): Find your copy of the 표준근로계약서 (standard employment contract). The company must give you a written document that shows the wage items, how wages are calculated, and how they are paid (Article 17(2)). If you do not have a copy, ask by text message: "Please give me a copy of my contract."
Records of your work hours: Every day, record the time you start and finish work with a photo or a note. Screens from fingerprint check-in machines, work schedules, work logs, photos of the factory clock, and transport card history are also good. Make sure the date is visible in the photo.
Messages: Do not delete text messages or KakaoTalk messages with your boss or manager. Take screenshots of them. Even words like "I will pay you next month" are evidence that the company admits it owes you wages.

Steps

Ask for your payslip by text message. Example: "Please send me my wage statement for ○ (month)." The record of your request is itself evidence.
Calculate the unpaid amount. Take the monthly salary in your contract and subtract the amount actually paid. Make a table for each month (month, amount you should get, amount you got, difference).
Ask for payment. Example: "Please pay my wages of ○○ 원 for ○ (month) to ○ (month) by ○ (month) ○ (day)." Send it in a way that leaves a record.
File a complaint. Do it online on the 노동포털 (Labor Portal) (labor.moel.go.kr), or at the 지방고용노동관서 (regional labor office) that covers your workplace. In the complaint, also write that "I did not receive wage statements." For the complaint steps and time periods, see How to report unpaid wages.
Submit evidence during the investigation. Put the table and screenshots above in date order and give them to the labor inspector. The inspector can also check the company's wage ledger and contracts.

What to prepare

외국인등록증 (Alien Registration Card), passport
Bank deposit history (bank app screenshots or a transaction history statement)
A copy of your employment contract
Records of your work hours (photos, notes, work schedules, transport card history)
Messages with your boss or manager, and the text messages where you asked for payslips
Contact details of coworkers who worked with you
Company name, address, and the boss's name

Important points

Write your notes on the same day. Notes written on the day are more trusted than notes written all at once later. Write the date, the start time, the finish time, and your break time.
Back up your phone before changing it. If your messages and photos are lost, it is hard to get them back.
Do not sign documents that are not true. If they ask you to sign a paper saying "I received all my wages," or a resignation letter with no date, do not sign it.
After 3 years, you cannot claim the money. The time limit for a wage claim is 3 years from each payday (Article 49). Do not wait too long.
Do not suddenly stop going to work. If you miss work for 5 days or more without saying anything, the company can report you to the 고용센터 (Employment Center). You can keep working while you collect evidence and file a complaint.

Frequently asked questions

Q. I have never received a payslip. Can I still file a complaint? A. Yes. You can start with just your bank deposit history and your contract. Not giving a payslip is a separate violation of the law, so also write it in your complaint.

Q. My salary is paid in cash, so I have no bank records. A. On the day you are paid, write down the date and the amount, and take a photo of the envelope or the money. Collect your work hour records and messages even more carefully. The labor inspector can check the company's wage ledger.

Q. Is a payslip sent by KakaoTalk accepted? A. Yes. The law accepts giving a payslip as an electronic document. Each time you get one, take a screenshot and save it separately.

Q. I have not been paid for 3 months. What should I do first? A. Check the last date you were paid normally, ask for payment by text message, and then file a complaint on the Labor Portal. If your average wage for the last 3 months is less than 4,000,000 원, you may be able to get free legal help from the 대한법률구조공단 (Korea Legal Aid Corporation) (132). Call 132 to check the conditions.

Where to get help

Organization	Phone / website	What they do
고용노동부 (Ministry of Employment and Labor) Labor Portal	labor.moel.go.kr	File a complaint online
고용노동부 Customer Counseling Center	1350	Advice on payslips and unpaid wages
외국인력상담센터 (Foreign Workforce Counseling Center)	1577-0071	Advice in many languages, including Nepali. 365 days, 09:00~18:00 (staff on duty on Saturdays and public holidays)
외국인종합안내센터 (Immigration Contact Center)	1345	3-way interpretation for calls with public offices. Nepali on weekdays 09:00~18:00
대한법률구조공단 (Korea Legal Aid Corporation)	132	Free legal help

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Legal basis

근로기준법 제48조제2항(임금명세서 교부, 2021-11-19 시행) — 임금을 줄 때 서면(전자문서 포함)으로 교부 (Labor Standards Act Article 48(2) (Giving a wage statement, in force from 2021-11-19): the employer must give it in writing, including electronic documents, when paying wages)
근로기준법 시행령 제27조의2(임금명세서 기재사항) (Enforcement Decree of the Labor Standards Act Article 27-2 (What a wage statement must include))
근로기준법 제116조제2항제2호(제48조 위반 500만 원 이하 과태료), 같은 법 시행령 별표 7 제2호 사목(미교부 1차 30만 원·2차 50만 원·3차 이상 100만 원, 기재 누락·허위 20만·30만·50만 원) (Labor Standards Act Article 116(2)2 (fine of up to 5,000,000 원 for breaking Article 48); Enforcement Decree Appendix 7, No. 2(g) (not giving: 1st 300,000 원, 2nd 500,000 원, 3rd or more 1,000,000 원; missing or false items: 200,000 / 300,000 / 500,000 원))
근로기준법 시행령 제7조 및 별표 1 — 제48조는 상시 4명 이하 사업장에도 적용 (Enforcement Decree Article 7 and Appendix 1: Article 48 also applies to workplaces with 4 or fewer regular workers)
근로기준법 제17조제2항(임금 구성항목·계산방법·지급방법 등을 적은 서면 교부) (Labor Standards Act Article 17(2) (giving a written document with the wage items, how wages are calculated, and how they are paid))
근로기준법 제42조 및 시행령 제22조(근로계약서·임금대장 등 3년 보존) (Labor Standards Act Article 42 and Enforcement Decree Article 22 (keeping employment contracts, wage ledgers, etc. for 3 years))
근로기준법 제43조(임금 전액·정기 지급), 제49조(임금채권 시효 3년) (Labor Standards Act Article 43 (paying full wages on a regular date), Article 49 (3-year time limit for wage claims))
외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률 시행령 제23조제1항제3호 — 정당한 절차 없이 5일 이상 결근 시 고용변동 신고 사유 (Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers Article 23(1)3: missing work for 5 days or more without proper procedure is a reason for the employer to report an employment change)

Sources

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