Job Discussion Forums

[vancouver_syndicate]

Hello

I was visiting Aeon's website and noticed that they require you to place a deposit after you've signed the contract. And they would then reimburse you when you finish the training.
I don't think they had that before. Why did they implement it now?

[guest of Japan]

That was policy in July of 2000 and AEON doesn't make changes quickly or often.

[Hondo 2.0]

Wow. How much is the deposit, and what is it for?

[PAULH]

I believe the policy is to stop people signing a contract, getting a work visa and then dumping them for someone else or accepting a job with another school before you start working for them. When you pay cold hard cash you think twice about abandoning a signed contract with an employee. No idea how much but i think its about $US200.

[guest of Japan]

Back in 2000 it was $200. I've heard it is $300 now, but I'm not sure and not inspired enough to look it up.

The money is basically meant to inspire the recruits not to bail at the last possible minute and to cover administration costs if they do.

Strangely, my current company uses the same system yet even more so. I have to pay $300 everytime I sign a new contract. I get the money back after my second month of working on the new contract. My boss swears to me that this is a Western custom adopted to deal with Western teachers. Anyone know a Western country that actually does this? I almost didn't take the job the first time because it felt like I was walking into a scam. My boss interviewed me in a coffeeshop, didn't have a business card and wanted a deposit. The job sounded appealing outside of those issues and I was entering desperation time for getting the kind of job I wanted, so I took it. It turned out my boss and the company he worked for were on the level if just a bit quirky.

[Hondo 2.0]

I don't like the sound of this. When you start a new job, you and the employer are both taking a risk. I really don't like to see contracts and hiring practices that reflect mistrust of new employees. If they don't trust you, then they shouldn't hire you. I'd like to see employer/employee relationships beginning with a gesture of trust.

[guest of Japan]

You must understand that Japanese companies think they are doing you a favor by hiring you. The mindset is different here. This coupled with the fact that foreign teachers do often cut and run gives us contracts based on mistrust.

[PAULH]

[Hondo 2.0]

I recognise that an employer is taking a risk when they hire an employee. However, I don't agree that this risk is greater than that undertaken by the employee. New employees at an eikaiwa usually sign on without seeing their new workplace or accomodations. Often, they don't even know what part of Japan they're going to be working in

I know you've been in Japan for a long time. So, if you worked for a company, and they didn't meet their obligations, you'd be on their ass pretty fast. Or, perhaps you'd just find a new job with your contacts, qualifications, and experience. Wouldn't you agree that this situation is not typical? Most teachers don't have much recourse when their employer decides to treat them like crap.

What I want to see is full and honest disclosure at the time of hiring. I'd like to see recruiters telling their potential employees about the most common complaints from current and outgoing emplyees. I'd like to see employers providing an accurate and complete description of what it is like working for them.

[Billy Chaka]

[Mike L.]

[Hondo 2.0]

Billy Chaka, my comments regarding disclosure express what I would like to see, not what I expect to see. My first ESL job was with GEOS. I worked for them for two years. My experience with them led me to re-evaluate how much research I think an employee should do before accepting a position.

My current situation certainly influences my comments. I was flown out to Thunder Bay yesterday for a job interview. The school I'd be working in is in a fly-in only community of about 1200 people. I dug up all the information available, but there is only so much. If I take the job, I'm going to have to trust the people who are hiring me. I really don't want to find out after the fact that they have misrepresented themselves.

And if you're curious, I'm 26, from Montreal, and an Aquarius. I enjoy long, bloody, MMA fights, and dark beer. My turn-offs include coprophilia and tardiness.

[Billy Chaka]

[quote="Mike L."]

[Hondo 2.0]

I don't imagine many teachers would think to themselves, "This employer wants me to pay a deposit before I start work. That must mean it's a good place to work." On the contrary, I think a lot of good candidates would just pass over such an employer. Limiting your appeal to good candidates is not a good business practice.

To retain employees, it might be more effective to restructre the common Y250000 monthly salary. You could offer Y200000/month, with a guaranteed completion bonus of Y600000. That would certainly motivate people to finish off their contracts.

[guest of Japan]

I would definitely steer clear of a job that advertised that. That tells me that either teachers have a habit of quitting or the employer has a habit of terminating contracts midway.