Job Discussion Forums

[jrwhisky]

SO particularly I am thinking of Interac's little fine print at the top of the SLP they write:


Note to Employees:
* Employee shall receive up to 29.5 hours of work assignments per week.
* Blank periods and breaks between periods are considered as freetime and are not counted as work.

I am surprised at how many people who never see this.

There's also a japanese verson of this and its pretty similiar. Mainly I am looking at the underlined text and wondering how far can they legally go with this? How much leeway can I expect from this? of course they always put those empty boxes in the middle of the schedule never first period or last.

I left school today during this period and it was nightmare! the school went nuts the staff at interac went nuts and I was so angry I nearly didn't come back. They cant possibly expect you to be a desk prisoner and at the same time still call that "free time" ? or can they ?

What do you think?

Also add in your own fine print conundrums for discussion if you like.

[Maitoshi]

That phrasing in the contract is basically so Interac can have its cake and eat it, too. You aren't entitled to full rights as an employee, but if you act other than directed, you may find that your contract isn't renewed. It's a bit like the 3/5 Compromise in the States (to save anybody looking it up: "The population of slaves would be counted as three-fifths in total when apportioning Representatives, as well as Presidential electors and taxes.") They want all the benefits of you as a full-time employee, but they don't want the liabilities this involves. Instead, they stick this phrasing in the contract to demonstrate that you are indeed a contractual part-time employee, all while expecting you to act and and function as though you were a full-time employee with all the benefits that would entail.

It would be interesting to see what would happen (providing you have an exit plan regarding other employment prospects or a plan to return to your country of origin), if you were to continue to leave the premises during these "non-working" hours. If they ask where you are going, you may even respond: "My other job. Strangely enough, my employers at Interac don't consider me a full-time employee, so I need to work another job to pay the health care tax they are begrudging me."

[taikibansei]

[jrwhisky]

I agree they play dirty and like others I'm hooked in for personal reasons. I emailed the union about it and they said I was indeed entitled to leave work during that free time. It works a lot like an unpaid lunch break back in the states. You're free to leave in that situation too. The havoc was mainly developed because the teachers perceived it as leaving work early and I only told half of them and the vice principal.

Aw yea I've read those articles they focus more on the 29.5 hr Max and health care. I was thinking a bit more about the little hidden breaks you don't know you might be entitled to.

That's the take away.

Another fun thing they do on the SLP Not written in English is they ask the teachers to count lunch hour as one like of the 6 hours maximum per day, they only request that it be calculated this way not a requirement. But, that is to encourage teachers to invite us to eat with the students and they also request the same thing at training when they say "yes eat with the students you're being paid to do it, but, correct me if your contract is different, the contract States: lunch is an unpaid period. This is stated so they can tack on an extra P for Prep in your schedule so you don't take off early or leave for too long and make them look bad. And it also means they lie at training. They know if it's not on paper it's illegal. At least that's what's likely. Sneaky stuff.

[taikibansei]

Okay, I see what you're saying now. Yeah, the school (and Interac) must have freaked out when you walked out! And yes, it is your legal right to do so. I shared a link a few months back about Heart also attempting to make teachers treat break/lunch time as (unpaid and uncredited) teaching time. It's illegal, and if it goes to court, you will win.

That said, are you in the union? If not, you need to get into the union like today. Hope I'm wrong...but Interac may try to fire you for this stunt during the summer break (i.e., when there are no classes). I would also strongly recommend gathering proof now of your good teaching and professionalism--e.g., any written commendations received so far, reference letters from current Japanese colleagues, testimonials from current/former students, etc., etc. The reason being that if Interac does try to fire you "for cause," they will cite (usually made-up) "issues" with your teaching and professionalism...and never mention the fact that they're really pissed off just because you exercised your legal right to leave campus that day.

If you have evidence that these "issues" are made up, you can ask the union to take them to court over your termination...and win. I'd get that proof now, though. In my experience, once word gets around that you are getting the axe, your Japanese colleagues/friends may suddenly disappear on you.

Again, just my two yen.

[Maitoshi]

It sounds like Taikibansei's two yen are worth much more than face value! Good stuff! +1

[jrwhisky]

I love it Taikibansei! I think you're definitely on to something. i will get right on that. Right now I am representing interac in a kind of way because my school was chosen to be the example for English excellency, next week I'll be performing a lesson in front of every English teacher in the region plus the BoE. They have extra extra reason to want to fire me.

[marley'sghost]

Interac definitely takes it cake and stuffs it's face with it too. The only real service they provide the board of education is to thread gaps in the labor law for them. That and the added insurance of giving the BOE someone to blame if things go wrong.
Now for me, the "desk prisoner" situation is not a big problem. That's the time I plan my private gigs, do my taxes, study, write comments on Dave's, etc etc. I have a small apartment stuffed full with teenage children, so I can't do anything at home anyways.
After time, especially if you have been at the same schools for a long time and have paid your dues, no one at school will freak out if you disappear for an hour to run to the post office, or split early and skip the after school staff meeting. I've been Interac-ing at the same schools for 10 years now. Been through about 4 principals at each. Only one English teacher remains from when I started and we are good buddies. So when I do something, it's just what Mr. Marley has always done. If I were a crap teacher and caused a lot of problems, or a new rookie, it would be different. Then you toe the line, find the boundaries and concentrate on doing your job well. Once you earn your stripes, the schools will give you some slack when you need it.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

It is extremely difficult to fire someone in Japan.

Requesting a different ALT from a dispatch company at the end of a contract, however, requires nothing more than a phone call.

And then you haven't been fired, the dispatch company simply doesn't have a placement for you, and your contract has expired. As far as they are concerned, you have fulfilled your part of the bargain, and so have they.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

[jrwhisky]

well it couldn't be said soon enough, they're having me come in for a "performance review" at 2 pm. I'll have to dig early and hard!

Marley I agree unfortunately they moved me to a new school and I lost my status and got sorted into a school full of uptight humorless teachers who call interac at every slight discomfort. once i got a report back that i need to say hello more. or once i drew unchi-kun on the paper of a student who didn't want to participate in anyway.(that one might be my bad).

through our interaction in emails the last few days I have them out on a number of relevant but confrontative and to them maybe insulting points. Had I called in and asked to leave I might have avoided this but they have recently blocked every effort. They've been quite difficult. Anyways if manage to fire me it will be a struggle, even though I want to quit. I gotta stay for the summer pay!

[mitsui]

I thought they don't pay for the summer.

Is Interac the one that had all the teachers in Sapporo unemployed in April?
It happened in 2014, I think.

[taikibansei]

[taikibansei]

[GambateBingBangBOOM]