Korean Job Discussion Forums

[maddog]

My employer has had my diploma for the past two months. Not just mine, all 7 FTs. We approached one of the supervisors today about the issue. He said that they had to keep them by law. Before I call him out, and tell him that he's talking out of his arse, I wanna know if there's any truth to this.

One of my co-workers even saw his diploma and it was folded in three! This is exactly why I want it back. They seem to have no respect for other people's property.

He even asked why we NEEDED them. Maybe I should ask him for his diploma, since he already has a job and doesn't need it.

MD

[Young FRANKenstein]

[bondjimbond]

Aye, it's a load of rubbish.

Though it did take almost two months for me to get mine back - they had to show it to... somebody.

I was very unhappy when it came back all chewed up. It was crisp and new when I sent it. Sigh...

[spliff]

He's keeping them as a deterrent against running. Sad truth is, you let him "hold" it = your fault! No way on earth I'd do that....

[nobbyken]

I laminated mine before I came here .
Figured it would get tatty after travelling for a few years, so I laminated important docs at my last job, before coming to Korea. (The water mark and embossing are still clearly visible.)

Anyone else laminate?

[spliff]

^Many things but not my diploma, looks cheap. Mine came w/ a nice leather cover.

[cbclark4]

If it's the Original and they folded it it three I'd ask for compensation.

Your earned that diploma with blood sweat and tears not only that you
paid top dollar for the education that it symbolizes.

You may want to explain the liability they could incur, explain that in your
culture this is a sacred document.

[cbclark4]

I was just thinking about this again.

When they ask for a copy of your diploma maybe you should
take a picture of it on the wall and in a frame.

Then when they want the original send it in the frame.

[maddog]

[ChopChaeJoe]

Dude, you're a total sucker.

[ruffie]

I have friends who've had their degrees folded up as well. I wonder if it's just general korean disrespect for foreigners and/or jealously because Korean degrees aren't worth crap, or they simply think the degrees are copies. A friend of mine had this jumbo sized degree from some university in the Maritimes, and they folded it over and over again into this little 4 by 4 inch square! The was no explanation other than deliberate meanness for that one.

You and your property are nothing to Koreans. Face it, and never hand over your degree again.

[Cymro]

[hogwonguy1979]

Maybe the best thing to do is check with you univ and get a new one done. My grad school cost me $15 and I had it in a couple of weeks. In fact get a couple made one that can be folded spindled and mutilated and one for the wall.

also serves the purpose if you do pull a runner you have a diploma for the next job

[Samantha]

Having a duplicate made is possible for some. At my undergrad school, I could pay to have a new printed up with little hassle, but since it's a public state school (Uni of California) the pre-printed signatures on it are for the board of regents. The board of regents has the current govenor as the nominal head. Right now if I were to replace my diploma I'd have Schwarzenegger's signature on it. There are other posters on the board that have posted whenever this topic comes up (which is quite regularly) that they can't get it replaced without a lot hoops to jump through.

My advice is do what amounts to a sit in, all seven of you go to the boss/office manager/whoever has them and flat out refuse to work until they return your property. I wonder OP, if they have your diplomas for 2 months do they also have your passports since I assume they have the diplomas for the Visa/ARC? If they do have your passports, that's a whole different story.

[I-am-me]

Sounds like a mission for Ethan Hunt.