Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mistermasan]

just as folks here predicted, my original diploma has been "lost". the master says immigration has it. that is BS right? they have my sealed transcripts. why would immigration need my diploma?

anyone ever replaced such?

i'm goner than gone.

[PGF]

[spyro25]

immigration don't keep your diploma. if your e-2 has already been processed, then your school has it and is lying to you. Refuse to teach any classes until your degree 'magically' shows up (and it will). Be firm - they are stealing your property that you worked hard to get - would you let anyone else do that to you?

[nobbyken]

They probably sold it.
Just let people take a copy of it (You have to be wary of identuty theft), and if they lose the copy: just offer to bring in the original again.
Explain that they employ you, they don't own your qualifications.

Can you get a replacement easily enough?

I feel for you, but I have never been able to trust anyone to keep my original certificate for more than 10 mins. I have a colour scan on file, I gave a copy to the co-teacherl also.

[Zaria32]

Contact your university. You can get another "original," but it usually takes some weeks, possibly 2 or 3 months, and will cost a few dollars too.

In the meantime, insist that the school return it to you. Immigration just looks at it, gives it back to your boss, so "immigration lost it" is pretty much bs.

Tell them that you are going to have to have at least one day, and possibly two days, off to go to immigration and have them "look for it" and then to go to the police and report it stolen...unless they think they can help immigration find it??????

[yingwenlaoshi]

Easy enough. Go to immigration and ask them for your diploma. When they tell you that they don't have it and sent it back/only keep it for so long, go back to your boss and confront him.

Or do what one of the above posters said: tell him it better magically show up in your hands and that he'd better "get it back from immigration."

They just don't want to give it to you because you can somehow magically (there's that word again) get another job in Korea. Or they're using it as ransom. Something these hagwon owners have devised, like gotten together or is common knowledge, as something you MUST DO to keep evil foreign teachers at their jobs.

Tell him to "Fork the fkn thing up, dingbat!" Those are the only kinds of words they understand. Diplomacy will only make you feel crappy inside.

Let this pig know who is boss.

[spliff]

Congratulations......

[yingwenlaoshi]

[gangpae]

Your Hagwon has your diploma. They think that by holding on to your diploma they will hold some sort of leverage over you. Probably some sort of bizarre half-wit logic like: I'll show this guy who really owns the E-2. They've already shown their true colors and you should be prepared to face some more 'tactical' maneuvers. For example you might get a radical change in your work schedule demanding you to cover many more classes. You might find that your next pay will be late. You might be requested to come in for some frivolous reason on the weekend. The atmosphere at the hagwon might become quite chilly. Expect them to try to stall or ignore any request you might have about things that were promised in your contract like Health Care, etc. The bottom line is that this institute will continue with what might be considered abusive behavior, and you are probably going to drink more than you should. But wait it gets even better. If you're still around, let's say around the 9 month mark of your contract, the atmosphere at your school will change for the better. You'll get praised about your teaching ability; you'll be the best foreigner they've ever had; all the children love you, etc. This is because they've decided that they want you renew. And guess what? Once you renew expect iceberg office again.
Bottom line is they are not likely to be 'good employers'. So if cash isn't a problem I'd just give 2 weeks notice and get the hell out of dodge. If you want to teach in Korea get a Public School job (maybe a fresh set of different issues, but nothing as bizarre as what you get from a shifty hagwon.)
And don't worry that by leaving your job abruptly you might ruin your chances at Public School. Most people in Korea are well aware of what hagwon directors are like. In my opinion, many of the new E-2 changes are directed at the hagwons, and not foreign teachers, although they might feel like the victims.
One caveat - What I've described above might be a little harsh and describe the most extreme hagwons. Maybe your degree really is lost.

[yingwenlaoshi]

The hagwon has it. The fact that they told you immi has it is proof of this. Just get the goddamned thing... Don't let them make you have to ask them again...

"Immi has it? Well get it from them! They have no business with it and neither do you! It's mine and I'd like it NOW! Thank you!" Or whatever works. Screw up their heads and scream at them and cause a commotion... It's the only way to get through to them that you aren't to be messed with. And then there are other things you can use to hold against them in the future. Many things there will be...

Then you kick ass in the classroom and look at them and say "What?"

Works like a charm.

[nautilus]

You can get it back2 ways:

face-saving way:

Tell them you have to quit and return home to get a replacement certificate, because it is very important, and your Uni only issues certificates in person, face to face. Give notice.

take no prisoners

What I did was call a meeting with them and lay out that they had my property, and that if it wasn't returned within an hour, then I would be calling my embassy, the police, the labour board, the foreigner helpline, and any other threatening authorities you can dream up.
Show them the phone numbers, written down. Hold your phone up to them. Be absolutely ready to follow through. Get everything prepared, including friends who will translate if necessary.

My certificate was handed over in about 20 minutes. They were pis*ed about it for a couple days then everything just went back to normal.

[yingwenlaoshi]

[Shimokitazawa]

My boss told me she couldn't pay me once. It was my pay day. I walked back into her office and said, "If I don't get paid, I don't teach." There were about 15 students in class waiting for the lesson to begin. I told her I'd give her a few minutes to think about what she wanted to do and walked out to the staff room. 5 minutes later she called me back into her office and I was paid.

It's a tough way to deal with people but you have to talk to them like this when they're trying to bang you in the azz.

[mindmetoo]

Tell you boss you can't get your ARC card unless you have a diploma. You will need to show your diploma to immigration (this is not true but it's worth lying about). Without an ARC card you'll be residing illegally in Korea and the school will be fined $5,000. So unless the diploma turns up in 90 days, he'll have to pay for a round trip ticket back home so you can pick up your new diploma.

If the diploma still doesn't turn up, tell him you'll need him to come to immigration with you and at immigration while you apply for the ARC card you will ask them if they ever found your diploma.

[gangpae]

No Diploma, no teachee! Your diploma will be on your desk at quitting time.
The next day you should submit a letter of resignation giving 2 weeks notice. You can invent some bogus excuse, or tell them the truth that you don't appreciate getting treated like shite, whatever just do it.