Job Discussion Forums

Fitzgerald · Joined: 10 Aug 2010 Posts: 224

Purely hypothetical, you understand.

You are hired into a new high school in Mexico City from a quality high school in the provinces, where you worked for three years. The offer is comparable to what you were making, and you take it, although without perhaps fully considering how much more expensive the D.F. is than the city you were in.

The school offers you an apartment on which they hold the lease, and for which you will pay by having the rent (not cheap) subtracted from your 31st of the month bimonthly paycheck. It will come close to wiping out that paycheck. You had your own apartment in the provincial city, which cost about 25% of your monthly take there.

OK. You arrive and find out that all the other new international hires have their apartments provided in full, including some in the very building where you are housed. You inquire about this. You were treated differently because you were a "local hire."

OK, then you assume that you are getting paid a lot more monthly than those other hires, partly because your rent is not included in the compensation, and partly because you are bringing 20 years experience, 4 international, 3 in Mexico to the table.

But this proves not to be so. You find out that the pay of the other new hires is all in the same ballpark as yours, but with the housing thrown in. Indeed, some new hires with substantially less or even NO teaching experience are being paid a base salary HIGHER than yours.

And the the icing on this particular cake: It turns out that a number of recent-year "local hires" - internationals who were in Mexico already, as you were - ARE in fact receiving free apartments, or are even being reimbursed in full for apartments they found on their own in nicer neighborhoods than what the school provides.

You feel like you've been had (and the school is not necessarily a picnic in other ways either). You have NOT signed your (two-year) contract yet, because it has not been given to you to sign.

What do you do? Do you try to renegotiate, bringing forcefully to the school's attention that you know more now than you did during your initial discussions? What are your reasonable options here?

Higo · Joined: 25 Feb 2010 Posts: 26

Well, clearly this situation sucks. I think first you have to ask yourself if you're upset enough about the pay/housing discrepancy to walk away. Because there is a risk if you approach the matter that they will just say "nope, that's your offer". If that happens, are you willing to threaten a departure? That is really your only leverage. Also, are you SURE the other people have better pay/housing? Are you absolutely positive? People always like to appear like they somehow got a better deal. But maybe they exaggerate or pad the details.

Let's assume that everyone you've had intel from is on the level. Let's assume you ARE willing to walk.

In that case I would ask for a meeting and raise your concerns. Express that you realize it is very unorthodox to request changes to your arrangement after you're agreed to them. But express that you also need to honest about your concerns about this new information -- and that you think with your qualifications you deserve the best compensation available. It's always a gamble to use other employees info as a bargaining tool. But if you feel like you can't go on knowing you're not getting the same deal -- you gotta go for it.

Higo · Joined: 25 Feb 2010 Posts: 26

edit - double post

Guero1 · Joined: 20 Dec 2013 Posts: 36

Hypothetically, lol, I'd leave if my deal wasn't improved.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Fitzgerald · Joined: 10 Aug 2010 Posts: 224

MotherF · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 8:43 pm Post subject:

It's a good thing this is all hypothetical!

If you find yourself out of a job next week, let me know.

Fitzgerald · Joined: 10 Aug 2010 Posts: 224

Lack · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 252

There are thousands of English schools around the world, so why get ripped off by anyone? Ask for the going rate and benefits, and if they don't give it, tell them to screw off. Regardless of what dave's trolls will say, do what is in your best interest. Don't feel sympathy with employers because they'll rip you off as soon as look at you.

My boss once tried to pay me less than my coworkers for the same job. I told him to pay me the going rate or look for a new teacher. He paid me fairly after that and at the end of my contract he begged me to stay because he kept making bad decisions in hiring.

Hypothetically, of course...

Fitzgerald · Joined: 10 Aug 2010 Posts: 224