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London School of English - Keiv/Odessa

 
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kyivkyiv



Joined: 08 Aug 2014
Posts: 17
Location: Kiev, Ukraine

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 7:01 am    Post subject: London School of English - Keiv/Odessa Reply with quote

I just finished working for this outfit and have a few bits of advice for other potential employees. I took this job based on the squeaky clean reputation they had based mostly on one other poster on this forum, who is no longer with LSE.

Here is one thing to keep in mind first: the school and director are in no way vindictive. But there were quite a few things that bothered me.

1) The contract they offer you isn't legal. Yea, yea in some countries, a contract is only as good as a promise between gentlemen. But at LSE they're present you with an English only contract which doesn't have an official stamp, the director will sign it, and a month later someone will pin you between classes and demand you sign an official contract which is written in both English and Ukrainian, has an official stamp, refuse to let you read or photocopy it, etc. Does that sound fair?

2) Power of attorney. No one will mention this to you until you've been there for a month or more. Yes, they will corner you and demand that you give them power of attorney for three years.

3) No bank account because they're cheating the government on taxes. They'll tell you that recent changes in the law have made it impossible for non-permanent residents to open a bank account, but that's only because they're cheating the government on its taxes. They'll have you sign a book which says that you're only paid ~1/3rd of your salary each month before you get paid in cash. You can't deposit the money in a bank account because you need a document showing that all taxes have been paid on the money and surprise -- they haven't been!

I have a few other bones to pick with them, but these are the real issues that I was unaware of before I went to work for them. Had someone told me that I would be working without a legal contract, all taxes paid, and someone having power of attorney over me, I'd have never worked for them. I'm out of Ukraine now and wish them the best of luck in the future, but who in the hell would want to work for them given these conditions and the worsening situation in Ukraine?[/b]
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Cardinal Synn



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 586

PostPosted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 11:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

On point 1 - They are obliged to give you a copy of the legal contract, under Ukrainian employment law. The worthless bit of paper they call an "agreement" is really nothing more than a bit of paper.

On point 2 - It is actually standard practice to give power of attorney to a lawyer, otherwise you'll be tied up in mountains of paperwork. This power is limited. I have looked into this myself.

On Point 3 - If they told you that "recent changes in the law have made it impossible for non-permanent residents to open a bank account" then they were not honest with you. Ask any employee of International House, Kyiv. All of whom have bank accounts....and copies of their legal contract.
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kyivkyiv



Joined: 08 Aug 2014
Posts: 17
Location: Kiev, Ukraine

PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 4:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cardinal Synn wrote:
On point 1 - They are obliged to give you a copy of the legal contract, under Ukrainian employment law. The worthless bit of paper they call an "agreement" is really nothing more than a bit of paper.


Correct. It seems that LSE neither respects nor values Ukrainian employment law.

Cardinal Synn wrote:
On point 2 - It is actually standard practice to give power of attorney to a lawyer, otherwise you'll be tied up in mountains of paperwork. This power is limited. I have looked into this myself.


Other foreign teachers and I were forced to give power of attorney to two people: an office manager and an accountant. I understand the reason for this as the process to getting things like work and residence permits is very complicated. However, I've gone through similar procedures in other countries before with a representative from my school present. Until working for LSE, I was never once asked to give someone power of attorney over me.

Cardinal Synn wrote:
On Point 3 - If they told you that "recent changes in the law have made it impossible for non-permanent residents to open a bank account" then they were not honest with you. Ask any employee of International House, Kyiv. All of whom have bank accounts....and copies of their legal contract.


Indeed they were not being honest and this is why it is particularly fishy that an accountant needs power of attorney over their foreign employees. The simple fact is that they're not paying all of their taxes on employee salaries (among other things, no doubt) and the account has power of attorney and can file almost anything they want under your name and [b]you[/] will be held responsible.
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