Job Discussion Forums

[teachering228]

I've received a contract from a university in Hubei. This would be my first teaching job in the middle kingdom. I'm a recent grad with no TESOL cert but some teaching experience(not 2 years worth). So far only other thing I could find in the uni department is another uni in Luoyang, but I'm trying to stay south of the Yellow River.


Contract
1. Term will be from Sept. 1st, 2013 to June 30th, 2014. Whether Party A employs Party B or not depends on Part B’s teaching result and ability on probation of two weeks.
2. Monthly payment Rmb 4500, 70% of which can be changed into foreign currency. The pay day will be during the sixth and the tenth day of each month. Party B may borrow one month salary in advance in case of emergent needs.
3. A flat is provided to Party B alone. Party B should ask for Party A’s permission if any visitors stay in the flat, and rent should be paid at RMB 150 Yuan per person per day.
4. The flat inventory is delivered to party B. Before Party B checks out, Party A will take the inventory. If the flat property is damaged on purpose, Party B should pay its cost. Party B should take good care of the flat property. Party A pay for water and electricity, however Party B should economize on water and electricity .It is not allowed to alter drain pipes or wiring in the flat. In case of emergency, Party A can send working staff to Party B’s flat.
5. Party B’s flat is equipped with ID card telephone. Party B needs to buy ID cards to use the telephone. And Party A recommends Party B brings his/her own laptop.
6. Party B enjoys RMB 600 Yuan per year for medical subsidy and Party A can assist Party B to buy insurance.
7. Party B works 14—16 hours per week. Party B is to accept the management of the department which party B works for, and take part in teaching research, teaching evaluation and other activities concerning teaching. During the contract period, Party B enjoys equal treatment and obligation as Chinese teachers, such as to spend Chinese traditional bank holidays with payment, and to take part in college activities such as English corner, evening parties and sports meeting.Party B is entitled to his/her country’s holidays as follows: Christmas for two days (December 24-25).Thanksgiving for one day (4th Thursday in November).
8. Party B mustn’t accept other jobs without Party A’s permission or arrangement, or Party B must take on full responsibility for it.
9. Party B is to obey the college rules and regulations. Asking for sick leave for three days or below, Party B should deliver a note to his/her department; Party B should deliver a note to the Office of International Exchange and Cooperation if the leave is more than three days. Party B should make up for those classes missed. If the leave is more than two weeks, corresponding pay will be deducted.
10. After Party B fulfills the contract, Party A will pay for its round-trip air ticket and pay RMB2200 Yuan for travel allowance. Party A either helps to reserve tickets on the principle of economizing or pays the amount of a direct flight.
11. Party A assists Party B to take an medical examination and to gain a residence permit. Party A will also pay for these two items.

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My main concerns would be to push for 5K a month instead of the 4, further clarification on the probation 2 week period and what it entails for the unfavorable candidate and further documentation on the "college rules and regulations" in point 9. This town seems to be under 1/2 million so I don't expect to get much. I'm okay with countryside as long as I get that visa & permit. Waiting on replies to inquiries to past teachers. Thoughts?

[Non Sequitur]

You've sussed it.
Go for 5K and clarify the probationary period. Long way to come to be turned back.
Clarify the status of the air ticket refund if you're booted after 2 weeks.
On the plus side, good to see the school paying actual airfare rather than an allowance that may well be 2/3 grand less than actual.

[Songbird]

If you're determined to get over here, yet you don't have the 2 years experience yet they OFFERED you the contract, I'd take it. Once you've boosted the experience you can go for big city living/ working.

Remember, 'south of the yellow river' still means it's COLD in winter, and no heating (as opposed to north of the river) so you'll need to spend some money on heating, bedding etc.

I hope that Thanksgiving day can be changed for non-Americans- I'm tired of having that in contracts as I'm not and it annoys me! My national day also falls at the end of January, so during winter holidays so I can't really use that either.

It's a pretty bog standard contract- but my first contract at this salary was in 2004 and salaries STILL haven't risen almost a decade later !

BTW, don't have any info about the uni, never worked there myself.

[doogsville]

The medical subsidy and lack of insurance is kind of weird. Ask them to tell you exactly how much you would have to pay for medical insurance. Most contracts will offer around 100,000 RMB of accident insurance. You want at least that, and preferably enough to cover your return home if you need it. 600 RMB will just about cover the cost of a couple of trips to the local hospital for stomach bugs and other minor ailments. If you get hit by an ebike or have any kind of serious medical emergency while your here you're screwed.


Also, be very clear that you will not work a minute beyond 16 hours for that money without a minimum of 150 RMB and hour overtime, and tell them, don't ask them, to put that in the contract before you sign it. I'm a tad suspicious about the vague 'other duties' bit that seems to be more and more common these days. 16 hours a week will allow you time to do some privates which you can live on, while salting away the salary in your bank account for the future. 16 hours of teaching though would require anything up to ten hours of planning and worrying time, especially when it's your first gig.

[Denim-Maniac]

Contact with current teachers / ex-teachers might be key. Id be interested to know how funny there are about people staying over for example.

The key thing for me is not the salary, but the type of work. Give me a class of 45 non-English majors of mixed ability who I have to see several times a week and that 4500 looks terrible. Give me small classes of English majors and material to teach from and its looks quite peachy.

Salary is (for me at least) of far less priority when compared to teaching / lifestyle / pollution / personal development etc.

[doogsville]

[Denim-Maniac]

My contract has a bunch of clauses that might appear off-putting, but they are really there to protect my boss against really terrible FTs. Someone reasonable, or even a little lazy will never see the clauses applied.

Its good to know what sort of employer you have with regards to this. Contracts are often like laws and rules in China, with social harmony often being more important that the letter of the law etc.

[teachering228]

Thanks for the replies, folks.

Songbird, Thanks for the reminder on weather. I am more worried about the air above the Yellow River, where its supposed to be worst? I'm ok with winter and no heat as long as its not Dalian cold. What will get me is the heat being one of the furnaces of China.

doogsville, That's good point, the medical insurance coverage looks stark, maybe they expect us to hunker down on campus, avoiding the traffic...Do emergency rooms in China's hospitals accept patients before payment up front?

If the atmosphere with the staff and teachers is chill, I may venture into some privates to fund the fun fund.

Denim-Maniac, there are some other foreign teachers there which I hope will lessen the overall load of student to teacher ratio but I will definite ask further about the classroom setting.

Agree with you about salary to the others, is the air comparable to Beijing? I understand its gonna be smog and dancing black particulates but a lesser degree. I'd figure 500rmb extra could help with the breathing masks.

[dean_a_jones]

As others have said, is pretty short but pretty standard. You might push for that 5000RMB (or request the minimum 16 hours at 4,500 and insist on a set hourly rate (say 150) for any hours above that up to 20, with anything above 20 needing both parties agreement).

Otherwise, the one that jumps out is regarding the housing--hopefully current/former teachers will be able to get back to you on that. It sounds like university accommodation, so don't forget to ask them about curfews, electricity cuts etc. as well.

[GuestBob]