Job Discussion Forums

[Armbar]

The bottom line:

My current sponsor refuses to cancel my VISA/LABOUR card.
I need them to cancel it so I can start work at a new job which pays approx 3 TIMES as much. The current sponsor won't cancel it unless I pay them a huge amount which they cannot prove that I owe them. The new job cannot wait very long for me to try to cancel and the current one seems to be stalling for this reason.

That's it in a nutshell, if you wish to know the details, please read on...


My background:
I am an American with a B.A., TESOL, teaching experience in the U.A.E. of over 1 year. My family of 5 is in the U.A.E. with me.

The new offer:
Last week, I accepted a really good package (salary, acommodation) at a government-sponsored school in Abu Dhabi. I was told to simply cancel my current VISA\Labour Card so that they could issue me a new one to start work immediately.


My current job:

Will NOT cancel my VISA/Labour card. I've worked with them for 1 full yearon an 'unlimited' type contract.

My current job is not good:

My current sponsor pays me 5000 dirham per month NOTHING INCLUDED. I teach upwards of 39 classes per week with NO overtime compensation. Before I signed the initial contract, job duties were NOT clearly outlined to me, early cancellation penalties were NOT explained
and I have been promised airfare, transportation, house furnishings, food, clothing, medical expenses, etc. but have not been given any of these.

I told them I had a new job offer and wish to resign from their school.
They REFUSE to cancel my VISA/Labour card unless I pay them:

10,000 Dirhams - Early cancellation. They claimed I agreed to this in
writing but cannot produce anything.
7,500 Dirhams - VISA COSTS. The cannot produce any receipts.
7,500 Dirhams - They want my summer pay back.

----------------------------------
= 25,000 Dhs (around $7000) or 5 months salary with that school.

Every time I tell them to produce me the proof for these expenses, they tell me to come back later. This has been going on for a week.

I have no money and cannot pay this amount, but cannot work for this school any longer.

If anybody has any advice please give it.

[veiledsentiments]

Get a lawyer. Perhaps the embassy can refer you, but don't expect them to be much help other than that. And it can take up to a year...

That's pretty much your only option.

The employer holds all the cards. You could try leaving the country with your family and getting a new passport. But I doubt that your new employer will wait.

Sorry I don't have any better ideas...

VS

[Bindair Dundat]

Yes, get a lawyer. You employer could be lying up a storm and you have no point of reference.

[Manny2]

Altough you say that details/penalties were NOT explained to you before you signed an initial contract i presume you DID sign that contract and you read it and you have a copy ....does it mention these penalties ??? and you say you were promised housing etc and you did not get them ? these were verbal promises (?)but were they not written in to the contract and if not why did you sigh it and start this job, and BTW it seems you have worked this job for one year , where do you live ? and why would a job offer you food and clothing ?????

[Armbar]

I don't have a copy of the contract. They never gave me one and now refuse to show it to me.

[veiledsentiments]

Rule number one... true everywhere in the world all the time... never never sign your name to something that you haven't read.

Cut your losses... pack your stuff... and leave. Don't even bother to tell them.

Chalk it up to life's lessons...

VS

[sharko]

You should either take the next flight out, as VS suggests, or, if your new employer is extremely interested in you, try to get them to pay partially your "debt". Maybe if you cut a deal with the new employer, you could get off the hook.

Nevertheless, I see that scenario as highly unlikely and a bad way to start a new job...

Good luck, man!

[helenl]

(a) as others have suggested - leave now, no notice and chalk it up to experience
(b) try to enlist your new employer in your fight to get out of the contract
(c) get yourself a lawyer and file a complaint with the Ministry of Labour - from what I've seen in "ask a lawyer" in the Gulf news - the employer is responsible for visa costs, no matter what.

(a) is probably your most viable and economical option - (c) might be useful as a threat?

Good luck.

[confuzed]

The reason they don't want to help you is because you didn't give them any notice. You can't just walk off from a job and expect people to do things. You put yourself in that situation because you were dumb enough to tell them what your plans were. Sorry I don't think your dumb, you probably just weren't thinking. Cancelling your Visa is obviously a pain in the ass for them. They don't want to have to do that for someone who wants to quit and to go to another school. That's not just with teaching that's with any job. Welcome to the real world. Never tell your employer you want to quit so you can find another job. Best thing is to say "things are not working out and I am giving you notice".

Now because of your big mouth they are trying to screw you and make money off you. At this point if you want my advice tell them you are willing to help them find another teacher and show an interest somewhat in their needs as well. They might be this, and that, but they still fed you for a year and you enjoyed their vacation money. I'm sure you weren't crying then. Now that you found a BBG ( Bigger better deal) your fast to say Sianora. Well I hope your a good ass licker my friend, because in the Midde East they don't give a rats ass. Chances are that your boss is related to someone who go's by the name of Prince ndnvfkdlnvlfkdnkf....Give them notice say "thank you but no thanks" and offer to help them find another teacher. If the other school wants you bad enough then they'll wait.

Just remember how Arabs are treated here. Don't fight a battle you can't win. Now your on their territory. If you can't kiss ass, your going to have to leave. At least your not getting deported in handcuffs like many Arabs do in our Countries. It's too bad that bad apples have to ruin it for the rest. I'm sorry to have to talk like this and I don't want to sound like I know it all, hell I sure made mistakes. Better I tell you like it is to keep you strong brother.

Good luck

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

Have you looked at the date of the original post ... you might as well be ranting at a potato ...

[confuzed]

Did you look at the topic?

As if we haven't seen or heard this type of situation before!

That's why posts are kept on message boards.

This is a forum, but thanks for paying attention. I admire your enthusiasm...because after all. I am confuzed...

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

But most of the time you're ranting at the OP ... not the topic ...

[confuzed]

lol

Doesn't matter who the OP is. I was ranting at the situation. If you read further into the forums you'll begin to realize that this is one of the most common occurences that happen in Tesl. Most teachers do tell their employers they are looking for another job another school etc.. The employer refuses to cooperate. I was just trying to help others in case they come across a situation similar to this one. Look at it as an FAQ, because as we speak there are thousands of teachers in this situation.

I love you but I gotta leave you.

Ciao for now,

[veiledsentiments]

Interesting idea... do you really think most people tell their employers that they are looking for new jobs?

I have never run into that - so I don't think it is common - and I was never naive enough to do such a thing.

Normal process is to find a new job and give notice as required by the contract. The biggest problem seems to be people who don't read and understand the contractual obligation. (and employers who don't follow their own contracts... but that is another issue)

VS

[like2answer]

People are stupid enough to do that, tell their employers they are looking for a new job. At my last job a coworker looked for jobs on her computer AT WORK and commented on good posts. Yes, she didn't get her contract renewed and was shocked. We all rolled our eyes.