Job Discussion Forums

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

i'm reviewing a contract for the upcoming year. here's what we
have regarding flight reimbursement:

"Party A will supply Party B who signs a contract for a school year
international round trip air ticket (international economy class air
ticket for the nearest distance between China and the country
of Party B)."

i'll be contacting them soon for clarification. will they buy me a ticket?
will they reimburse the ticket i purchased? what limit?

i will propose they change this clause in the contract addendum to
give me a set flight allowance equal to, i suppose, the average cost
of a RT flight from china to the usa.

what do y'all more experienced folks demand in your contracts as
to flight reimbursement? what would be a reasonable request?

my current contract provides for a flight allowance; a set cash amount
that is just about enough to buy a RT domestic flight in china.

************************************************

to clarify....i don't wanna go home! don't wanna get groped by tsa!!
i just wants the cash. maybe i'll take a vacation to bali, maybe i'll
buy a motersickel, maybe i'll blow it on beanie babies. whatever.
i just want a reasonable allowance written in the contract with no
need for receipts.

Halapo · Joined: 05 Sep 2009 Posts: 140 Location: Jiangsu, China

What is written in English isn't always taken as seriously as it should be by most Chinese Officials.

I mean that part where is says "nearest distance between China" could be taken to mean you get out in LAX when you live in New York, since its closer and might need a connecting flight ( and therefore 2nd flight )... I can see some companies trying to do that to save money.

My own history here has taught me they will repay you for a ticket that you buy yourself first. Plus they really cant be bothered to go buy the ticket themselves in the first place. Just give them the recite at the end of the year. Most schools wont pay for your flight up front.

I would send them an email to explain that part in their own words. That might give you a better idea what they are thinking, because as it is, I wouldn't sign. It's a small thing, but both sides really need to be clear about this.

nickpellatt · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1522

The only experience I have with this was whilst working in Hainan. My housemate was also from Britain, and when I went home, he stayed. Like you, he wanted to travel in Asia on the flight money.

I presented my flight home ticket (which I organised as cheaply as possible to be fair) which they paid no problem. They then matched this amount in RMB to my housemate who used to as he wanted. It does need checking, but it doesnt have to be a red flag.

dog backwards · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 178

Heed Halapo's experience.

I've never had problems with the "round trip airfare" clause until now. When I asked when I would be reimbursed for my ticket that got me to China, I was told that I'd get a return ticket to China if I sign a second year contract.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Hey Dog Backwards what does your contract say?
Do they intend to pay you right through July/August too if you sign on again?

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

but i don't have a receipt for my flight to china,
so i canna apply for reimbursement.

i came here by bicycle from thailand. when i move
to my next assignment in the fall, i'll send all my
stuff by post again, and cycle to the next province.

i don't expect to fly 'home' for the next several years.
too much fun stuff to do right here. that flight allowance
will pay for much fun.

**sent a revised contract addendum to the school
last night with half a dozen changes, one of which
is a set flight allowance. instead of asking for an
explanation, which could change over the course of
a year, i just rewrote and bolded my preferred changes,
hoping it'll be easier for them to accept as written than
to negotiate any further. we shall be seeing.

***oh, i do still have the boarding pass from when i
arrived back in ought-five.

lowest economy fare on ctrip guangzhou-LA 7800 rmb.

flyingscotsman · Joined: 24 Mar 2010 Posts: 339 Location: Suzhou, China

My contract simply says 8000 end of contract reimbursement. No mention of receipts etc BUT they are criminals here and NOW the fao cow asks for a copy of my boarding pass from last September. Luckily I happen to have saved it.

ps 8000 is NOT enough for a round trip ticket to the USA.

lionheartuk · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 173 Location: Guangdong

I guess I am one of the lucky people. I get flight money even tho I have no ticket or receipt and I get it every year. At first I refused it cos I didn't feel I should get it seeing as I have been here for 8 years and did not keep my tickets.But when I kept being told to collect my flight money I decided to just do it. I am not complaining.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

I get a flat bonus of 20,000 RMB at the end of every year, in cash.

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

dog backwards · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 178

lionheartuk · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 173 Location: Guangdong

I refused because I had no ticket but the other FT's here do and they just show the same receipt each time.

Happy Everyday · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 268

Short answer: 9,000 rmb / RT appears to be the going rate. Cash. No receipts. If you're actual price costs more, then that may be on you. Try to get it in monthly installments. Get it in your contract. If you *insist* on more money to cover actual costs, then of course you'll need to have a receipt.

(Aside: Does Dave's have a spellcheck? Normally sites have them. I was a spelling bee class champion, many moons ago. In the world of computers, I rely on spellcheckers. I've got friends who are anal about dotting every i, and that's not a bad thing. I'm more about the overall form of ideas and expression. Vivre la differenence!)

Back on topic: I've had receipts but never needed them. Sounds like a scam to cut you out of pay. I've seen schools pay the full airfair after a few weeks of working. Cash. It is reasonable to negotiate that the airfare be paid in monthly installments. Or at contract completion, yet dodgy places may try to fire you just before competion in order to keep the money.

dog backwards · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 178

Happy, my fellow cafe member,

I don't see any "going rate" from where I stand. I work in public universities. During the course of my many inquiries into employment in China, I have been sent copies of contracts to inspect.

In public university contracts, my observation is that the vast majority of contracts that I have seen merely offer "round trip air fare provided" with no dollar amount stated. In every case (except in my current position), that clause amounted to reimbursement for the prospective teacher's ticket coming into China, and a ticket to return to his city of origin.

I have observed, however, that private schools often state a dollar amount reimbursement that varies widely, with many of the amounts being woefully less than the cost of a plane ticket.

Of course, I am offering my limited observation. I have no empirical statistics to offer because I have not looked into every school in China, and I have not inspected every contract used by evry school.

Any suggestion that there is a standard for all employment in China is merely a suggestion, not a fact.

xjgirl · Joined: 02 Feb 2010 Posts: 242

airfares are a dodgy business, and every school deals with it in a different way , the way each school deals with it can also wildly vary from year to year and also depends on how much pressure the FT puts on the school.

What this means is whenever you sign a new contract, you should insert a bit about how much airfare is to be reimbursed and it should be paid in monthly installments. At the end of your first month, if it's not paid together with your salary, start packing your bags...